MAYOR DE BLASIO, SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR CARRANZA ANNOUNCE ADOPTION OF SCHOOL DIVERSITY ADVISORY GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS

City will adopt 62 recommendations, announces first five districts receiving new school diversity grants

  Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza today announced that the City will adopt the vast majority of the preliminary recommendations made by the School Diversity Advisory Group (SDAG). SDAG is a group of students, educators, parents, advocates and researchers appointed in 2017 to advise the Mayor and Chancellor on policies to advance school diversity and integration. The DOE plans to adopt 62 of the 67 recommendations as written or with minor changes to ensure effective implementation.

The administration also announced that Districts 9, 13, 16, 28 and 31 will be the first districts to receive funding as part of the $2 million school diversity grant program to develop their own community-driven school diversity and integration plans. The City announced the grant in fall 2018, with the community-driven middle school diversity plan in District 15 as a model.

“There’s no one who knows better how to diversify our school system than our students, parents and teachers,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Accepting the School Diversity Advisory Group’s recommendations and awarding diversity grants to five new school districts are crucial steps forward toward ensuring that every student, no matter their zip code, has access to a school where they can thrive, and a natural next step for our Equity and Excellence agenda.”

“Today we’re adopting changes that will expand opportunity for all students and ensure our school system better reflects the diversity of New York City,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “This set of recommendations affects every facet of our organization and furthers our commitment to equity. The School Diversity Advisory Group has been a critical partner in the effort to integrate our schools, and I thank the group for its steadfast commitment to equity. I look forward to continuing this partnership and reviewing the group’s second report later this year.”

“As the Executive Committee of the SDAG, we applaud Mayor De Blasio and Chancellor Carranza for their historic announcement to lead the nation in supporting schools to be the vibrant, challenging and inclusive places they must be to build a bright future for all our students. We applaud their leadership and their partnership. This has only been possible because the SDAG is itself a reflection of who we are as New Yorkers and has modeled how we can work together across different backgrounds, experiences and vantage points to produce holistic recommendations to build the kind of education research has shown improve outcomes for all our children,” said Members of the Executive Committee of the School Diversity Advisory Group: José Calderón, President, Hispanic Federation; Maya Wiley, chair of Civilian Complaint Review Board and Professor of Urban Policy and Management at the New School; Richard Kahlenberg, Senior Fellow at the Century Foundation; and Amy Hsin, Associate Professor at Queens College.

School Diversity Advisory Group

The SDAG was established in June 2017 as part of the DOE’s first citywide diversity plan, “Equity and Excellence for All: Diversity in New York City Public Schools,” and is comprised of over 40 members, including local and national experts on school diversity, parents, teachers, advocates, students and other community leaders. Beginning in late 2017, the SDAG and its subcommittees held nearly 40 meetings to facilitate research and discussion of a number of key policy areas related to diversity. The SDAG hosted eight public town halls, including one in every borough across New York City and two specifically for youth, in order to collect quantitative and qualitative data from communities on the issues important to them.

The SDAG released its preliminary report in February and intends to release a final report in the coming weeks. The preliminary report laid out the history, data and key issues surrounding school diversity and integration in New York City, as well as an initial set of 67 recommendations on school enrollment, budget priorities, restorative justice practices, staff diversity, culturally responsive curriculum and diversity metrics and goals, among other topics. The Mayor and Chancellor met with the SDAG on May 13 to discuss the initial report.  

Of the 62 recommendations the DOE will adopt, 40 will be adopted outright from the report. The DOE made changes to the other 22 adopted recommendations to ensure effective implementation; for example, the DOE is tweaking the recommendation “invest in growing and strengthening high-performing schools outside Manhattan” to “invest in growing and strengthening high-performing schools in communities with historic underinvestment.” The DOE will continue to identify the resources necessary to implement these recommendations over the coming months.

Key adopted recommendations include:

• Add metrics to the School Quality Report related to diversity and integration;
• Create a General Assembly with representatives from every high school to develop a citywide student agenda and vote on key issues;
• Require all schools to monitor student discipline practices and develop a plan to reduce any disparities in how students are disciplined;
• Create new diversity targets for Diversity in Admissions pilots based on the specific circumstances of each school community;
• Expand Community Schools initiative and other models that connect schools to community-based organizations;
• Examine Title I and its relationship to integration;
• Adopt a common definition of Culturally Relevant Education (CRE) that will inform and shape work across the DOE;
• Create partnerships with institutions of higher education to ensure CRE is an essential component of all pre-service teacher training efforts;
• Strongly support and encourage the nine districts with sufficient demographic diversity of population to develop diversity and integration plans (Districts 1, 2, 3, 13, 15, 22, 27, 28, 31). Three of these districts are receiving funding for community-driven diversity and integration plans today.

There are three recommendations that the DOE will continue to review, and two that we will not adopt – the recommendations to create a “Chief Integration Officer” position, and analyze the benefits and drawbacks of moving School Safety Agents to DOE supervision from the NYPD.

A full list of the SDAG recommendations, along with any changes by the DOE, can be found online.

District diversity grants

The five districts receiving grant funding put forward compelling ideas that demonstrated their commitment to community-driven processes to increase diversity, integration and equity across their schools. The $2 million will primarily be used to support community planning processes similar to District 15, including engaging community planning firms with expertise in this work, selecting and developing working groups, hosting community meetings and developing a final proposal. Each district will receive $200,000.

The application process ran through the winter and spring of 2019 and incorporated feedback from the SDAG in its design. The DOE received 17 applications, and offices from across the DOE weighed in on the selection process. The DOE will also support another five districts through the grant, to be announced later in 2019.

These districts will work with their community and the DOE as they develop these broader diversity and integration plans that may address enrollment policies as well as suspension rates and restorative justice practices:

The Districts receiving the grants are:

·         District 9: (Grand Concourse, Highbridge, Morrisania, University Heights)

·         District 13: (Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill)

·         District 16: (Bedford-Stuyvesant)

·         District 28: (Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Rego Park, Jamaica)

·         District 31: (Staten Island)

“IntegrateNYC has been at the forefront of the modern day integration movement in collaboration with many organizations lead by youth, parents, public school alumni, and equity advocates. All of us come after a long line of individuals dedicated to social activism and justice. The groundbreaking Brown v Board of Ed case was a big step in education reform, but across the city we’ve recognized for years that one step isn’t enough. Our five point platform, the 5R’s of Real Integration, has led us as an organization and now will lead us as a blueprint for this city we call home. Real Integration is more than simply moving bodies; it is moving the minds of people as well. Implementing this plan for equity understands that there is a need to honor and respect the dignity of each of the 1.1 million students that walk through the doors of our public schools with all of the unique cultures, histories, and backgrounds that come with them,” said Leanne Nunes, high school junior, District 8, Bronx, incoming Executive High School Director at IntegrateNYC.

“The time for advancing equity in our schools is now. Let us stand in solidarity with Mayor De Blasio and Chancellor Carranza for their support of the School Diversity Advisory Group’s policy recommendations for integration.  These approved recommendations will champion work that has long been taking place in support of dismantling structural practices that have not best supported the 1.1 million students, and educators who serve NYC public schools.  The heart of this policy initiative was the 5R Framework which was created by students currently attending NYC public schools. Their tenacity guided these recommendations, and amplified voices, spaces, and places that have historically been overlooked-that in itself is a modern testament of our youth. This work will surely have a positive impact on future generations of our city for years to come.  May the collaborative process, and positive outcome for the recommendations serve as a model nationwide,” said Cassandra Baptiste, Instructional Coach. The Children’s School P.S. 372.  

"It has been an honor to server on the School Diversity Advisory Group (SDAG) and to be part of this historic reform to integrate New York City's public schools. I am confident that the 5 R's framework will serve as a strong foundation to support our school communities in advancing equity for all our students,” said Noah Angeles, Principal, York Early College Academy.

“Today’s announcement marks a critical point for the work of integration in New York City. We applaud Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza for honoring the vision set forth by the School Diversity Advisory Group (SDAG). The 62 approved policy changes represent critical steps towards dismantling the architecture of segregation. As a member organization of the SDAG, New York Appleseed has been honored to serve alongside our partners from across organizations and institutions to craft the path towards diverse, equitable, and inclusive public schools. We want to specifically highlight the leadership of the students from IntegrateNYC for their persistence and advocacy over the past five years, their expertise in designing the 5 R’s policy platform, and their commitment to bridging youth, community voice, and public policy. We also want to acknowledge the important work of community-based groups like nycASID, CEJ, AQE, and UYC for advocating for critical priorities reflected in this policy announcement. Lastly, we extend sincere gratitude to the SDAG Executive Committee, Maya Wiley, Hazel Dukes, Jose Calderon, Richard Kahlenberg, and Amy Hsin for setting the SDAG up to be a genuine mechanism for change and accountability rather than a symbolic convening. We are proud of the progress today’s announcement represents, and we look forward to continued bold action, following the SDAG’s final report,” said Matt Gonzales, Director, School Diversity Project New York Appleseed.

“Good Shepherd Services commends the Mayor and Chancellor for accepting 61 of the 67 recommendations proposed by the School Diversity Advisory Group (SDAG) in February 2019. As an SDAG member and believer in the potential of all youth, we are pleased to see the critical work of integration move forward. The SDAG proposals and the 5 Rs platform created by youth that frame them will bring New York City closer to ensuring that all students receive a high-quality education. There is more work to be done! We look forward to seeing the approval of additional recommendations going forward and offering our guidance to the Department of Education as implementation begins, a critical element to ensuring the success of this work,” said Sister Paulette LoMonaco, Executive Director, Good Shepherd Services.

“School diversity is about more than race. It is essential that we look at school communities, especially those in the Bronx, where more than half of the student body is considered a subgroup albeit, students with disabilities, English Language Learner and/or economically disadvantaged. It’s simply unfair and unjust to continue operating in this manner.  As a school leader, I am proud that Chancellor Carranza and Mayor de Blasio are as courageous as we are to desegregate New York City public schools,” said Asya Johnson, Principal, Longwood Preparatory Academy.

“PASSNYC commends the Mayor and the Chancellor for taking more steps to advance equity now. We need bold, intentional action to dismantle the architecture of segregation. Thank you to the SDAG Executive Committee, our fellow members, and the DOE team, for making this progress possible. Special thanks to IntegrateNYC, whose 5R’s platform proves the power of youth voices. We look forward to continuing this vital work for the future of New York City,” saidRyan J. S. Baxter, Founder, PASSNYC.

“Advocates for Children of New York has been honored to serve on the School Diversity Advisory Group and appreciates that the Mayor and the Chancellor have taken this next step towards addressing pervasive segregation in our City’s schools,” said Kim Sweet, Executive Director of Advocates for Children of New York

“Advisory groups are sometimes used to avoid action and kick problems down the road, but today Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chancellor Richard Carranza have agreed to take deeply meaningful steps to attack the biggest problem facing New York City schools: entrenched racial and economic segregation that impedes student learning.  By adopting more than 90% of the recommendations offered by the School Diversity Advisory Group, the Mayor and Chancellor have embraced a comprehensive package of reforms to bring about more equitable, integrated schools. Of particular significance, they agreed to establish important racial and socioeconomic diversity goals that—if met—would over time make New York City Public Schools a national leader in confronting segregation,” said Richard D. Kahlenberg, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation.

“I commend Chancellor Carranza for adopting the vast majority of the School Diversity Advisory Group’s recommendations for increasing diversity in NYC schools. While they are only a small component of the important and ongoing equity work required to support the needs of all students in the DOE, the recommendations are, nonetheless, a bold step in the right direction. If implemented successfully, the recommendations promise to promote conditions necessary for transforming education throughout the city, inspiring diversity beyond student bodies to teachers and schools, districts and DOE central administration. They promise to close gaps not only in opportunities to learn but also in what's important to learn. They promise to reshape school culture and climate in ways that see discipline as a means of character development as opposed to punishment. They promise to uplift rates of graduation for the city’s most vulnerable students while working to shatter the invisible barriers that lock some into stations of privilege and others into stations of vulnerability. They correct the metrics by which we define success, and reclaim and rightly define what equity, integration, segregation, power, and etc. mean in this new dispensation of our unceasing struggle to achieve educational equity. This is not a time for a victory lap, but an acknowledgement that a community as diverse and as large as NYC can indeed come together, take a policy which best aspect is its potential for malleability, and shape one that is better. Unlike the previous diversity plan that was released two years ago, this new contract is a bold bill of rights under which all our students will be guaranteed a chance to pursue the one thing that have so escaped us—an education without borders,” said David E. Kirkland, Executive Director, New York University Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

We have seen nothing from Chancellor Carranza and Mayor de Blasio since the new chancellor took over. We do not see how this plan will be any different from other failed plans for the public school system. 

We also question why the district where an assistant principal was given almost three hundred thousand dollars to settle a complaint about the school's diversity was not included.   

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES THE FORMATION OF BETTER BUSES ADVISORY GROUP, WHICH TAKES A RIDE ON B35 ALONG CHURCH AVENUE

City agencies, the MTA, elected officials and transit advocates will share ideas to increase bus speeds 25% citywide by 2020

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the formation of an advisory group for the administration’sBetter Buses Action Plan to increase bus speeds by 25% across the five boroughs by the end of 2020.  City agencies, the MTA, elected officials, transit advocates and others represented in the advisory group will share thoughts about how to improve service along critical corridor around the city. To kick off the group’s work, they took a ride on the B35 bus along Church Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn – among the plan’s priority corridors.

“We are taking action to get New Yorkers moving and saving them time for the things that matter,” said Mayor de Blasio. “With guidance from riders, our new Better Buses advisory group will come up with innovative solutions to get our bus routes up to speed.”

“Church Avenue is a bustling corridor, where keeping buses moving is a persistent challenge —as we try to strike a balance among the needs of commuters, shoppers,  merchants and delivery trucks in one of Brooklyn’s densest neighborhoods,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.  “I look forward to working with the members of the Better Buses Advisory Group officially named today.   The Mayor’s Better Buses plan will bring sensible changes to Church Avenue that will not only make commutes faster and more reliable, but will make one of Brooklyn’s most crash-prone streets safer for everyone.”

"NYC Transit is working hard with our partners to improve bus performance throughout the city, which begins with unclogging congested streets and we welcome the attention that NYCDOT, the NYPD and City Hall are giving this critical matter,” said New York City Transit President Andy Byford.

New York City has 2.5 times more bus riders than any other city in the country, but also the nation’s slowest buses, with a current average speed of just eight miles an hour.  Despite the City’s expanding population, bus ridership has declined by 13% in the last four years.

As part of the Better Buses Bus Action Plan, the New York City Department of Transportation has identified 20 projects to improve bus travel times.  To highlight one key corridor in the City’s initiative, NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg joined local elected officials and advocates today for a ride on the B35 bus along Church Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn.  Plagued by slow bus speeds and a high crash rate, the busy east-west corridor is a top 2019 project location identified by DOT in the Better Buses Action Plan. 

Commissioner Trottenberg was joined today by MTA New York City Transit President Andy Byford, Assembly Member Robert Carroll and members of the Better Buses Advisory Group, including representatives of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, the Community Service Society of New York, The Riders Alliance, TransitCenter, the Straphangers Campaign, ABNY and AARP.

Better Buses -- First Stop, Church Avenue:  The planned changes along Church Avenue, which DOT presented this month to local community boards, help connect Flatbush to Kensington – by introducing new curbside dedicated bus lanes and updated curb regulations to optimize bus and traffic flow, as well as better organize activity at the curb. 

This 0.9- mile of roadway between Flatbush Avenue and Ocean Parkway carries four different MTA bus routes with a combined daily ridership of 45,000.  The B35, which travels across Brooklyn from Brownsville to Sunset Park, has an average speed of only 4.9 MPH during the morning commute and 3.6 MPH in the evenings, among the slowest in the entire City.  (The B103, BM3 and BM4 lines also travel along portions of Church Avenue.)  The street is plagued by traffic issues common to others identified in the Better Buses report: double parking, truck loading and long traffic queues – delays often caused by turning vehicles.  Safety along the corridor has also long been a concern: over the last five years, this portion of Church has seen 481 serious injury crashes, including two fatalities.

DOT is looking at several improvements to the Church Avenue corridor including:

·         Curbside red bus lanes that give dedicated space to buses, increasing travel speeds and reliability.

·         Updated curb regulations along Church Avenue and side streets, including new and adjusted truck loading zones and metered parking, to accommodate deliveries and parking activity along Church Avenue.

Vision Zero Changes at Ocean Parkway/Church Avenue – Today’s bus ride ended at the intersection of Church Avenue and Ocean Parkway.  This Vision Zero priority intersection has been among the most crash-prone in Brooklyn, as vehicles leave a pedestrian-heavy neighborhood to enter the Prospect Expressway.  Over the last five years, 102 people have been seriously injured at this intersection, with one pedestrian struck and killed here in February 2018.

Over past years, DOT has made a number of safety improvements to this intersection, including the addition of pedestrian refuge islands, flashing yellow turn arrows, leading pedestrian intervals (LPI) that give those crossing Ocean Parkway by foot a head-start, countdown clocks, and a red-light camera.  Along with the Better Buses improvements to Church Avenue, DOT also plans the addition of several Vision Zero-related changes that will be made this summer at this intersection, including: new curb extensions and widened concrete medians to expand pedestrian refuges; new turn restrictions; and an extension of the time for the pedestrian LPI. (see rendering of proposed changes below).

Better Buses Advisory Group: The Mayor’s announcement today also named the members of a new Advisory Group, which will help implement the Better Buses plan. The group will contain the following elected officials:

·         Public Advocate Jumaane Williams

·         Senator Alessandra Biaggi

·         State Senator Leroy Comrie

·         State Senator Andrew Gounardes

·         State Senator Brad Hoylman

·         State Senator James Sanders Jr.

·         Assembly Member Walter T. Mosley

·         Assembly Member Nily Rozic

·         Council Member Diana Ayala

·         Council Member Joseph Borelli

·         Council Member Fernando Cabrera

·         Council Member Laurie Cumbo

·         Council Member I. Daneek Miller

·         Council Member Donovan Richards

·         Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez

In addition to elected officials and representatives of MTA New York City Transit, NYPD, NYC Small Business Services and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, the Advisory Group will include the following member organizations:

·         NYC BID Association

·         Association for a Better New York

·         1199 SEIU

·         Transport Workers Union

·         Amalgamated Transit Union

·         Rudin Center

·         Center for an Urban Future

·         The Rider's Alliance

·         Transit Center

·         Straphangers Campaign

·         New York League of Conservation Voters

·         Community Service Society of New York

·         AARP

“Efficient transportation is a priority for the over 230,000 small businesses across the five boroughs. Local businesses can only continue to support our economy if there are effective transit options available that allow their employees to reliably come to work and customers to easily support their businesses,” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “I applaud DOT’s commitment to increasing bus speeds by 25% across the five boroughs by the end of 2020, which will go a long way to positively impact business owners and residents alike.”

“A better bus leaves no one behind,” said MOPD Commissioner Victor Calise. “As the City develops ways to increase the speed, safety, and efficiency of our bus system, it is important that we include the needs of people with disabilities. MOPD looks forward to working with our City and State partners, elected officials, and advocacy groups including the disability community to create a better and more inclusive mode of transportation that works well for everyone.”

REMINDER! Bronx Metro-North Hunts Point Interactive Public Workshop

REMINDER Hunts Point Interactive Public Workshop is just one week away!

Join us for a public workshop/open house and help plan around future Metro-North service in your neighborhood! This interactive, self-paced event is an important opportunity for the community to join city agencies in planning around future Metro-North service. Come share your local expertise, hear from your neighbors, contribute your ideas for improving pedestrian and transit connections to and from the station, and help ensure that new service is thoughtfully integrated into the surrounding neighborhoods. How could new service enhance ongoing planning in the neighborhood?  Our teams from the Southern Boulevard Neighborhood Study and Hunts Point Vision will be on hand to hear your thoughts! Activities will be self-paced and participants can come when they wish and stay for as long as they are able to.

WHEN Monday, June 17, 2019 6PM–8:30PM (Self-paced activities. Come when you wish and stay for long as you are able to.)

WHERE 940 Garrison Ave The Point (Atrium space) Hunts Point, Bx

For any questions or special needs, please email bmns@planning.nyc.gov or call 718 220 8500

Find Out More

¡Únase a nosotros para un taller público interactivo y ayude a planificar alrededor del futuro servicio de Metro-North en su barrio! REMINDER ¡Sólo una semana hasta nuestro Taller Público Interactivo para Hunts Point

¡Únase a nosotros para un taller público interactivo y ayude a planificar alrededor del futuro servicio de Metro-North en su barrio! Este evento interactivo y que irá a ritmo propio será una oportunidad importante para que la comunidad pueda unirse con agencias municipales para planificar alrededor del futuro servicio de Metro-North. Venga a compartir su pericia local, entender las perspectivas de sus vecinos, contribuir sus ideas para mejorar las conexiones a la estación para los que caminan y los que usan tránsito, y ayude a asegurar que este nuevo servicio se integre en el contexto local de una manera bien pensada. ¿Cómo puede este nuevo servicio contribuir a otros estudios de vecinardio en el área? Miembros de los equipos del Estudio de Vecindario de Southern Blvd y Plan de Visión para Hunts Point también estarán presentes para escuchar de Ud.!

¿CUÁNDO? Lunes, 17 de Junio, 2019 6PM–8:30PM (Actividades irán a ritmo propio. Venga cuando quiera y quédese el tiempo que pueda.)

¿DÓNDE? 940 Garrison Ave The Point (Atrium space) Hunts Point, Bx

Para cualquier pregunta o necesidades especiales, por favor, envíe un correo electrónico a bmns@planning.nyc.gov o llame al 718 220 8500

MY FELLOW DEMOCRATS, GIVE NEW YORKERS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THEY DESERVE

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Councilman Rubén Díaz Sr.

Bronx County, New York

 You should know that the New York State Democratic Senate only needs 32 votes to approve legislation and they now have 39 Democratic Senators. That means they do not need one single Republican Senator vote to pass the Rent Control Regulations for the poor people of New York State.

 

You should also know that an article titled “Cuomo threatens lawmakers with extended session to finish business” written by Bernadette Hogan appears in the June 7, 2019 edition of the New York Post.  Here is how the article begins: “Gov. Andrew Cuomo threatened to hold state lawmakers hostage in Albany this summer if they can’t agree to pass rent reform before the end of the legislative session on June 19.”

 

It is important for you to know that unlike the Republicans, we Democrats are proudly defined as being opposed to homelessness and as champions of affordable housing for all.

 

If this is still true, then Democrats in New York State need to get their act together this week, if not, landlords will be able to evict tenants without cause, and rent regulated apartments will be turned into free-market units.

 

According to Ms. Hogan’s article: “Laws covering nearly 1 million rent-stabilized tenants in New York City are set to expire June 15, and the Legislature is considering a broad new set of tenant protections that are deeply unpopular with landlords because the laws would limit their ability to raise rents or take units out of rent stabilization.”

 

It is important for you to know that Governor Andrew Cuomo has given his word that he will sign into law whatever rent package the Senate passes. So what is the delay in passing these bills before rent and tenant protection laws expire?

 

My dear reader, with Democrats in control in New York State, why is this dreaded deadline still looming overhead?

 

With Democrats in control, why are protesters filling buses to Albany to jam the hallways with chants and signs to demand universal rent control regulations?

 

With Democrats in control, why are truly concerned housing advocates, including NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, getting arrested in Albany during these protests?

 

Should there be any reason at all for Governor Cuomo to have to threaten elected officials that he will keep them in Albany after Session if they do not pass these laws to protect New York’s tenants?

 

You should know that many of my constituents and people here in the South Bronx are extremely troubled about this, as am I. But what can I say to those who tell me repeatedly that they vote for Democrats because they believe the Democrats are there to represent their needs, and then they have such anxiety because New York Democrats in charge haven’t resolved this matter yet?

 

With all of the public protests – and Governor Andrew Cuomo having to act like a Den mom – I can only hope the Democratic chaos will end and New York’s senior citizens, families and individuals will get the affordable housing they need.

 

I am Council Member Reverend Rubén Díaz, Sr. and this is what you should know.

The New Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Amazing events happening this week!

Yemini Community Parade Across Rhinelander Avenue Saturday June 8th

  One can only guess what Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are saying to each other as they prepare to march in the first Bronx Yemini Community Parade. 

Police estimates were that over five-hundred people marched the five blocks across Rhinelander Avenue from Matthews Avenue to White Plains Road where the Mosque for the Muslim American Society is located. In front of the Mosque it was estimated that there were up to one thousand people for the speeches and other events. This event was one year in the making drawing people from across New York City and six states including California. 

Above - The parade across Rhinelander Avenue begins.

Below - As the marchers are coming there is dancing in the street in front of the Muslim American Society.

Above - It was 2021 Mayoral candidates Term-Limited City Comptroller Scott Stringer sitting next to another 2021 Mayoral candidate Term-Limited Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. Next ro BP Diaz is probable 2021 Bronx Borough President candidate Term-Limited City Councilman Fernando Cabrera, with non term-limited District Leader (and past State Assembly candidate) John Perez also in the photo. 

Below - Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. speaks of the diversity of the Bronx, saying that the Bronx is home to many immigrants who have chosen to make the Bronx their home, and welcomes the Yemini population who are hard workers and excellent additions to any of the Bronx's many communities.

Above - Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks about the current president's policies on immigration, where many of the Yemini families are split apart due to some family members coming to America, but others not being able to now. 

Below - City Comptroller Scott Stringer brought a citation for the Yemini community of the Bronx with him, that he presented while he spoke.