Below is a list of upcoming events. Attached you will find flyers for each event.
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In solidarity,
The Bronx Democratic Party
1640 Eastchester Rd.
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Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Bronx Democratic Party - Upcoming Events
Monday, November 28, 2016
INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATIC CONFERENCE AND NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK STAND WITH IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES TO PROTECT CIVIL RIGHTS AND COMBAT HATE CRIMES
Independent Democratic Conference Announce $250,000 in funding for the Vera Institute of Justice’s New York Immigrant Family Unity Project
Senators Jeff Klein (Bronx/Westchester), Diane Savino (Staten Island/Brooklyn), Tony Avella (Queens), Jesse Hamilton (Brooklyn), Senator-elect Marisol Alcantara (Manhattan) and the National Action Network, joined by the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the New York Immigration Coalition and the Vera Institute of Justice, on Monday stood in solidarity with immigrant communities to protect civil rights and combat hate crimes. The IDC also announced $250,000 in funding for the Vera Institute of Justice’s New York Immigrant Family Unity Project to provide public defenders to those facing deportation and called for $4 million funding to meet the remaining statewide need.
“We must stand together in the face of hate and protect our immigrant communities. For many, the threat of deportation is an especially difficult challenge to overcome, and often financial barriers prevent them from having fair representation. We want to knock that financial wall down. This is why it is so important, especially now, to ensure funding for programs like the Vera Institute of Justice’s New York Immigrant Family Unity Project so that immigrants facing deportation have a fair day in court. I will continue to fight for this funding in the 2017 legislative session and beyond,” said Senator Klein.
“In the community I represent in Washington Heights I am confronted nearly everyday with questions from constituents about their future in this county. Now more than ever we must work together to ensure that immigrant communities are protected. This funding for the Vera Institute secured by the IDC is an important step and I look forward to continuing to work to allocate funding to this program next year,” said Senator-Elect Alcantara.
“Intolerance and hate will never be accepted in this state and we will always stand up against it. Immigrants are the fabric of our great nation and of this state and we will protect those who face the fear of being separated from their families through deportation. It is important for every person to have legal representation and I’m proud the IDC secured funding for the Vera Institute’s great work. We will continue to advocate for funding so that every immigrant can have a public attorney at their side,” said Senator Hamilton.
“We will never tolerate hate in this state and we must always remember that this nation is one made up of immigrants. I’m proud that as a member of the IDC, I worked to secure funds to ensure that immigrants in this state facing deportation have legal representation. The fear of losing your family is unbearable and the fear of losing a deportation case while unrepresented is simply frightening. We will work to make sure that we continue to fund public defenders for our immigrants,” said Senator Savino.
“Hate and intolerance towards any community in New York is unacceptable and must be stood up to by all. The Vera Institute of Justice does the important job of providing those immigrants facing deportation with legal representation who may otherwise be left to fend for themselves. As a conference, the IDC has continuously fought for immigrants rights and we will continue to do so with programs like these,” said Senator Avella.
“In the aftermath of the Presidential election millions of New Yorkers are fearful of the draconian immigration rhetoric espoused by Mr. Trump during the campaign. The threat of mass deportations and covert roundup squads are eerily reflective of authoritarian and fascist regimes throughout history and the world today,” said Minister Kirsten John Foy, Northeast Regional Director, National Action Network. “We in the civil and human rights community along with those in the immigrant rights community and other progressive voices stand with Senator Jeff Klein and the IDC as they demonstrate leadership in protecting all New Yorkers from the scourge of xenophobia. Once again Senator Klein and the IDC have put their votes where their mouths are and will fight for much needed increases in funding for legal services to protect our immigrant relatives, neighbors, friends and fellow New Yorkers and we proudly applaud and support these efforts!”
The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) was launched in 2013 as a pilot program to provide representation for indigent detained people in proceedings at Varick Street Immigration Court. The program increases the chances that immigrants will win their cases by 1,000 percent. Their efforts are devoted to detained immigration courts because of the low representation rates that exist at these locations. The program is currently meeting 100% of the need in New York City; however, there is a need for more funding in courts outside the city. New York State has six immigration courts.
Members of the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project Coalition include: the Vera Institute of Justice Immigration Justice Clinic; Immigration Justice Clinic, Cardozo Law School; Make the Road New York; Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights; Brooklyn Defender Services; Legal Aid Society; The Bronx Defenders; and Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Erie County Bar Association.
The $250,000 in funding secured by Senator Klein and the IDC will be used at the Batavia and Napanoch, New York detained immigration courts located in Upstate New York. Vera Institute of Justice’s NYIFUP is currently serving 13% of the need at Batavia and 48% of the need at Napanoch.
During next year’s legislative session the IDC will work with the state and city to secure $11.1 million in total funding for the NYIFUP program that will allow for 100% representation for those in immigration court in New York. The Vera Institute of Justice has estimated that this would save the state $5.9 million in annual savings, by cutting costs for public health insurance programs and foster care services.
“The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project protects New Yorkers who have a legal right to stay in the United States from being unjustly torn from their families and our communities. The Vera Institute of Justice, a member of the NYIFUP Coalition, applauds Senator Klein for his foresight and leadership on this issue of such critical importance to all New Yorkers,” said Oren Root, director of the Center on Immigration and Justice at the Vera Institute of Justice.
EDITOR"S NOTE:
During the Question and answer period it was said that almost two-thirds of all immigrant detentions should not even happen, and the Unity project is there to erase any marks that lead to frivolous detentions, while helping those who may have minor violations overcome them to become legal immigrants here in this country. When I asked what the ratio of serious crime detention was I was answered with a statement by Minister Kristen Foy of the National Action Network who said that is what President Elect Trump wants the media to believe, without answering my question.
MAYOR DE BLASIO APPOINTS 15 MEMBERS TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD
Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the appointment of 12 new members and the reappointment of 3 members to the Community Services Board, the panel responsible for advising the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in areas related to the City’s community mental health and substance use treatment services. In addition, the Board will advise on the advancement of a stronger public health approach to mental illness and substance use as outlined in the City’s comprehensive plan: ThriveNYC. Appointees include leaders from the non-profit, public and private sectors with a track record of serving people with mental illness and substance use issues. The Board also will be advised by Sherry Glied, Dean of the New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of public services.
“Today we’re taking another step forward in our efforts to destigmatizing mental illness and ensuring that best practices are put in place to help our fellow New Yorkers,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The board, which now consists of professionals whose collective experience span the private, non-profit and public sectors, is well-equipped to support ThriveNYC and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in delivering services that will benefit our New Yorkers who are most in need. I look forward to working with the Board.”
“The dynamic intellect and proven ability of today's appointees to the Community Services Board will bring an additional dimension of support and vigor to changing the culture and expanding services for untreated mental illness and substance misuse. I am excited to work with them,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray, who spearheads ThriveNYC.
“Today’s appointees bring a wealth of experience and perspective to the Community Services Board,” said Dr. Mary T. Bassett, Commissioner of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. “Their knowledge will not only help us identify gaps in mental health and substance misuse treatment, but they will also guide us in the development of programs that address the mental health needs of all New Yorkers.”
Reappointed members of the Community Services Board are:
Gail B. Nayowith, Chair of the Board, is the Principal of 1digit LLC, a management consulting and project management practice, and has worked in the health and human services sector for decades leading vital nonprofit provider, advocacy and philanthropic organizations.
Dr. Sarah Church is a licensed clinical psychologist, with a particular focus in substance abuse. Dr. Church is also Executive Director for Montefiore Medical Center’s Division of Substance Abuse and Assistant Professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Dr. Roberto Lewis-Fernández is a licensed psychiatrist whose work includes overcoming disparities in the care of underserved U.S. cultural groups. He is the Director of the New York State Center of Excellence for Cultural Competence and a Professor at Columbia University’s Department of Psychiatry.
Newly appointed members of the Community Services Board are:
Dr. Thelma Dye is a licensed psychologist and Executive Director and CEO of Northside Center for Child Development, one of New York’s oldest and most respected mental health agencies.
Dr. Pankaj Patel is a Board Certified Psychiatrist and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Sciences at Richmond University Medical Center.
Dr. Stephanie Le Melle MD is a licensed psychiatrist with a particular interest in the treatment and care of people with serious mental illnesses and complex needs. She is co-Director of Public Psychiatry Education at Columbia University’s Department of Psychiatry and New York State Psychiatric Institute.
Dr. Rosa Gil is the Founder, President and CEO of Comunilife, Inc., whose mission is to expand access to housing, mental health and social services to increase the quality of life of underserved, diverse communities in New York City.
Louise Cohen is the CEO of the Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC), a non- profit Community Development Finance Institution, dedicated to expanding and strengthening the primary care safety net in the United States. She has over 25 years of experience in public health, public policy, program operations and community health needs assessment.
Wanda Greene has over 22 years of family support under the Mental Health Association and is the Director of the Family Resource Center (Mental Association of NYC), where, among other things, she maintains partnerships with public and private entities throughout New York City to provide mental health services to high need, underserved communities.
Jun Matsuyoshi is Director of Mental Health Services, APICHA Community Health Center, where she oversees all mental health services.
Diane Arneth is the Executive Director of Community Health Action of Staten Island as well as a member of Brightpoint Health. Brightpoint Health is a community-based organization that provides direct services, education and advocacy to individuals, families, and communities challenged by health disparities related to poverty, discrimination, and lack of access.
Lynnae Brown is Director of Community Access at Howie the Harp Advocacy Center, a program of Community Access Inc. Brown oversees the peer-run employment program that has trained over 800 peers to work as peer providers in human resources.
Denise Rosario is the founding Executive Director of Coalition for Hispanic Family Services and has over 30 years of experience in mental health services to children and families of color in urban communities.
Ahmed Jamil is the President of the Muslim Society Community Center that offers education, youth development and community outreach programs catering to low-income families.
Christy Parque is President and CEO of the Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies, an advocacy and training behavioral health coalition of over 140 non-profit substance use and mental health providers that serve over 450,000 residents in New York City and surrounding counties.
Special Advisor to the Community Services Board (non-member):
Sherry Glied is the Dean of the New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and former Professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services, and served in that capacity from July 2010 through August 2012. She had previously served as Senior Economist for health care and labor market policy on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers in 1992-1993, under Presidents Bush and Clinton, and participated in the Clinton Health Care Task Force.
About the Community Services Board:
The Community Services Board (CSB) is mandated to advise the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in all areas related to the City’s community mental health and alcoholism facilities, services and programs. The CSB has been redesigned to advise on the advancement of a stronger public health approach to mental illness and substance use as outlined in the City’s comprehensive plan: ThriveNYC. New appointees represent a broad spectrum of communities, organizations and viewpoints to help engage people whose voices have previously gone unheard.
NEW YORK NAMED “2016 BEST SMART CITY,” NYC TO HOST 2017 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON URBAN TECHNOLOGY AT BROOKLYN NAVY YARD
Recognition by Smart City Expo World Congress highlights groundbreaking efforts to build stronger, more sustainable, resilient and equitable city
Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that New York was awarded the “2016 Best Smart City” by the Smart City Expo World Congress in Spain. The award recognizes cutting-edge initiatives that help resolve urban challenges and benefit cities and their residents. This announcement comes at a time when the City is seeing major progress related to Mayor de Blasio’s OneNYC plan, which aims to create a more sustainable, resilient and equitable city.
“New York is proud to be recognized as the capital of innovation and progress, and a city where everyone has equal access to opportunities and success,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We are committed to ensuring we continue to be the leader of urban sustainability, resiliency and technology, and we are honored to host Smart Cities NYC ’17 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard this coming Spring."
Earlier this month, the Smart City Expo World Congress announced a new partnership to hold their first event in the United States: Smart Cities NYC '17. The international conference and exposition will focus on the intersection of technology and urban life and will be held May 3-7. More than a dozen City agencies and offices will participate alongside public and private sector leaders and influencers from around the globe.
“There could be no better place to hold this important event than in New York City and at the Brooklyn Navy Yard,” said Jerry Hutlin, Chairman and Executive Director of Global Futures Group. “Smart Cities NYC ’17 will bring together world-class keynote speakers, experts and residents for constructive discussions and provocative debates, while also showcasing and advancing cutting-edge solutions for creating smarter, safer and more resilient global cities.”
“Brooklyn Navy Yard has been a center of innovation since it was first used to build ships 200 years ago," said BNYDC President David Ehrenberg. "Brooklyn Navy Yard continues that tradition today as home to a mix of older manufacturers and a growing number of companies that use advanced technologies to design, engineer and manufacture products – which now employ more people than at any time since the Navy left Brooklyn. We are delighted that in recognition of the role we play in making New York City the world's smartest city, we've been asked to host this incredible event.”
The 2016 Best Smart City Award highlights key progress by the de Blasio Administration in four areas:
Expanding Connectivity for All
· The Mayor’s Office, New York City Housing Authority and Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) kicked off new efforts to bring free high-speed Internet service into the homes of tens of thousands of low-income New Yorkers, starting with the nation’s largest public housing development.
· In 2016, the City also broke ground on LinkNYC, the world’s largest fastest and municipal Wi-Fi network. To date, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and visitors have used the Wi-Fi more than 50 million times.
Piloting and Scaling Smart Technologies
- NYC continues to pilot and scale smart technologies to improve government services, neighborhood connectivity and the lives of New Yorkers. This includes an additional $3 million investment in gunshot detection sensors to enhance public safety and an $18.6 million connected-vehicle pilot with the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Growing the Innovation Economy
- In 2016, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) launched Urban Tech NYC, an accelerator program providing 100,000 square feet of affordable space and prototyping equipment to help entrepreneurs and innovators address the most pressing urban challenges in sectors such as energy, waste, transportation, agriculture and water.
- To help connect government agencies to new smart city solutions, the Mayor’s Office of Technology and Innovation launched a series of new Calls for Innovation in 2016 and a new digital discovery tool at marketplace.nyc.
Ensuring Responsible and Equitable Deployment
- New York City recently developed the world’s first set of comprehensive guidelines for ensuring the responsible and equitable deployment of smart city technologies. In September, the White House and the Mayor’s Office of Technology and Innovation announced that more than 20 cities had signed on to this effort.
To expand upon this progress, the City recently added two new members to its senior technology team: Chief Technology Officer Miguel Gamiño and Chief Digital Officer Sree Sreenivasan. As CTO, leading the Mayor's Office of Technology and Innovation, Gamiño is working with all City agencies as we continue to develop a Smart City strategy, and head up the City’s rapidly expanding Broadband Program. Sreenivasan works to promote access to City government through technology and serves as the City's primary liaison to the tech start-up community.
“Smart City technology is essential to creating a more responsive and equitable government,” said New York City Chief Technology Officer Miguel Gamiño. “As a global leader in the Smart Cities movement, we welcome Smart Cities NYC '17 – and we will continue to innovate to ensure that every day New Yorkers are able to thrive in a more sustainable, resilient and equitable future.”
Additional information on Smart Cities NYC ’17 is available online at http://smartcitiesnyc.com/
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW - It Was Julio Pabón, Not Congressman Serrano
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
District 32 Bronx County, New York
You should know that it has been 21 years since Cuba’s Communist Dictator Fidel Castro visited Bronx County. To be more exact, the Dictator’s visit to Bronx County happened on Monday, October 23, 1995.
It is important for you to know that 21 years later, after reading a book titled “Knockout: Fidel Castro Visits The South Bronx” written by my friend, Julio Pabón, I have learned that it was not Congressman José Serrano who was the author, the coordinator and the consummator, but rather, it was Julio Pabón, according to the book he just published, who was the one to get Fidel Castro to come to the Bronx.
Could you imagine, my dear reader, for all these 20-plus years, I had believed that it was Congressman Serrano who was responsible for the Dictator’s visit to Bronx County?
As a matter of fact, during the Dictator’s visit, I organized and participated in various demonstrations against Fidel Castro and Congressman Serrano.
I remember many meetings I have had with my friend Carlos Barberia, the great Cuban composer and director of “Orquesta Kubavana” regarding Fidel Castro’s visit and how Congressman Serrano dared to invite him to Bronx County.
Since Castro’s visit to the South Bronx, my personal relationship with Congressman Serrano has not been the best. I felt offended, insulted and humiliated by the Dictator’s visit, and there were many times that I considered challenging José Serrano for his seat in the US Congress. And all of that was because Fidel Castro visited the Bronx.
Now, 21 years later, I just learned that it was not Congressman Serrano who brought Fidel Castro to visit Bronx County, but it was Julio Pabón.
It is also important for you to know that I met Julio Pabón back in 1975 when we were both students at Herbert H. Lehman College in the Bronx. Julio Pabón was always what I considered to be a lefty radical; and to the contrary, I was and remain a Pro-Statehood supporter, following those leaders who want Puerto Rico to become the 51st State of our Nation.
Julio Pabón used to follow the teachings of Ruben Berrios, Juan Mari Brás and the leaders of the Independent Party. Unlike him, I still follow the teachings of the leaders of Statehood.
During those years, The President of Lehman College was Dr. Leonard Lief; Dr. Trina Rivera de Ríos was the Director of the Bilingual Program; and Maria Herencia, Lehman College's first Hispanic Dean, who then served as Lehman's Financial Counselor.
I recall one occasion during my college days when Julio Pabón and his friends took over Schuster Hall. They chained the doors of every entrance and exit, disrupting education, and not allowing anyone to come in or out for days. I remember how food was delivered to them with ropes from the ground to the roof.
That incident caught the attention of every authority in the City and every student at the college.
Since that time, Julio Pabón has run for various political positions in Bronx County. He has been involved in sports. He was an assistant to Congressman Serrano, but I never knew him to be an historian nor a writer, as he has now revealed in his published book, “Knockout: Fidel Castro Visits The South Bronx” which you can get athttp://www.knockoutthebook.
His book provides a good education for someone like me who may have been mistaken about who was the leader, the organizer and the perpetrator who dared to bring Fidel Castro into the Bronx.
As you know, the politics during those times were more conservative compared to the liberalism of today where everything is allowed and permitted.
It is ironic, or just maybe luck, that a few days before Fidel Castro finally died, Julio Pabón released his book to educate us about his role in bringing the Cuban Dictator to the one and only visit he ever paid to the South Bronx. So now you know the rest of the story.
I am Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.
TESTIMONY OF BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT RUBEN DIAZ JR. - ON THE FUTURE OF CITI BIKE
I am here today to discuss the potential expansion of Citi Bike to all five boroughs, and the need to create new revenue streams to drive that expansion forward.
Over the past eight years, my borough has seen tremendous new investment. Not only have we attracted new businesses and built thousands of new housing units of all types, we have brought record infrastructure spending to The Bronx, as well.
The Grand Concourse is undergoing major renovations, and many of our subway stations have seen complete overhauls. Most significantly, we have secured the nearly $1 billion in funding for the long awaited East Bronx Metro North Expansion, thanks to strong partnerships with Governor Andrew Cuomo and the MTA.
Despite such record investment, transit equity continues to elude us in a very high-profile way.
Citi Bike is nowhere to be found in The Bronx. That must change.
In August 2015, I was shocked when Citi Bike announced that they had expanded to, of all places, Jersey City. How could Citi Bike go to New Jersey before it goes to all five boroughs? The City in Citi Bike has to mean something. Since then, I have heard from my constituents, over and over again, that they feel slighted by the lack of a Bronx bike sharing option.
We have an opportunity to fix that.
With transit fares set to rise, it is incumbent upon this city to do what it can to provide more options for affordable transportation throughout not only The Bronx, but across the five boroughs.
A Citi Bike membership—at just $155 per year—is not only a cost-effective means of transportation, but can also help remove cars from our roads and ease congestion on other mass transit options.
Citi Bike has always endeavored to be a five borough entity, and to serve as an essential part of our transit system. Bike sharing, we are told, works best not as an alternative to buses and subways, but as a piece of the total transit puzzle—an integrated part of our existing public transit system.
Right now, Citi Bike is funded entirely through private funds and revenues generated by memberships. Though taxpayer assets such as street space have been used to further its expansion, not a penny of direct taxpayer funding has been granted to the program.
Contrast that with other forms of public transportation, which are publicly subsidized. And, that is how we have to view Citi Bike, as an important part of our public transportation infrastructure and network.
To that end, City Hall must consider providing Citi Bike with an infusion of taxpayer funds. This funding, when combined with existing and new private revenue, can accelerate the expansion of bike sharing to all five boroughs.
Mayor de Blasio has stated publicly that Citi Bike must be expanded to The Bronx. To make that happen, the City must allocate funding to expand bike sharing across all five boroughs, ensuring that Citi Bike ventures to new areas after 2017. With a strong public financing commitment, new sponsors could be brought to the program. A commitment from the city would undoubtedly lead to an even greater commitment from private partners.
My office is committed to working with City Hall to developing the plan to expand Citi Bike to The Bronx.
With an infusion of public funding, we can make such an expansion a reality.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Sunday, November 27, 2016
BDCC Chair Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz Steps Down, Assemblywoman Latoya Joyner New BDCC Chair
The photo above is from when Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz first came into office twenty-two years ago in 1994. The pay for a New York State Assembly member in 1998 was increased from $57,500 to its current amount of $79,500. Many Albany legislatures are also lawyers, and have done legal work to supplement their pay over the years including Assemblyman Dinowitz. While County Leaders and Executive Directors of political parties were bared from certain legal work that practice now has included County Committee Chairs of which Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz was the Bronx Democratic County Chair. The Bronx Democratic County Leader remains to be Assemblyman Marcos Crespo. Since the state legislature is not going to get a pay raise in the next two years at least, Assemblyman Dinowitz had one of two choices to make. He could give up the monies he makes from income that County Committee Chairs can no longer make, or he could give up the County Committee Chair. Assemblyman Dinowitz chose the latter.
This is a recent photo of Assemblywoman Latoya Joyner who is now the Democratic County Committee Chair. Assemblywoman Joyner was elected to the State Assembly in 2014. She currently represents the 77th Assembly district which includes the Claremont, Concourse, Highbridge, Mount Eden, and Morris Heights sections of the Bronx.
Our best wishes to the new BDCC Chair Assemblywoman Latoya Joyner, who can wait for the next pay raise for state legislatures, whenever it comes.