EBHF November 2025 Meeting-Art Deco in the East Bronx

 

Dear East Bronx History Forum Member, 

           With the state of our every-growing city, it is well established that the Bronx has the greatest concentration of Art Deco buildings in all of New York city and second only to Maimi, on a national scale. Internationally, New York ranks third overall after Mumbai, India and of course Maimi as number one. This month the East Bronx History Forum will be holding its 199th meeting this November 19, 2025 at 7:30 pm in Msgr. Joseph Raimondo Hall located in the lower level of St. Clare of Assisi Church at 1027 Rhinelander Avenue.

         Our speaker this month will be Mr. John J. Howard, who will be exploring the numerous Art Deco buildings of the East Bronx. The Art Deco style as we understand it today first appeared in France just before the First World War, but saw its full expression between 1925 and 1940. The explosion of Art Deco was promoted heavily at the Paris Exposition from April to October of 1925. It was conceived as a way to highlight the new style of art, architecture, furniture, decorative arts and industrial design that was emerging in Europe and throughout the world. The hallmark style of Art Deco buildings include: geometric forms such as zigzags, chevrons, squares within squares and diamonds. It is also common to find stylized organic forms mixed with the geometrics: fern tendrils, flowers of all kinds, and fountains were common.

         John trained, qualified and worked as an architect in the United Kingdom for 40 years until retirement in the NYC Interior Construction Industry. His website Bronx Art Deco Apartment House Archive (http://badaha.org) was launched in 2024. The site’s focus is to bring greater attention to the Art Deco style along with their gifted architects. John has made presentations for the New York Historic District Council, Bronx County Historical Society as well as walking tours of the Grand Concourse.

         There is ample free parking just north of the main entrance on Paulding Avenue. Additionally, remember to follow us at BronxNYC.com, and on our Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo and Youtube account pages for the most current updates or information. Please remember to join us for our Veterans Day service at 12:15 pm on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Van Nest Memorial Plaza located at the intersection of Mead Street and White Plains Road. We look forward to seeing you for both events.

            Dorothy A. Krynicki 

            Secretly, EBFH

Source: East Bronx History Forum

Source: John J. Howard

BRAC - November 2025 Newsletter

 

November 2025 at BRAC

Facility Advisory

Please be aware that due to mechanical issues our elevator is out of service for the unforeseeable future. We appologize for this inconvenience. 



If you are a student and artist and require support in getting to our upper floors please email education@bronxriverart.org so that we can make accommodations and support your visit to BRAC.

We are currently raising $15,000 to get urgent repairs to make our elevator operational again. If you would like to support this cause you can donate here.

Art Education

Fall 2025 Art Classes

September 30 - December 13

Registration Still Open

BRAC's Fall 2025 session of art classes are still ongoing! We offer youth, teen, and adult classes in drawing, ceramics, printmaking, and more. With half of the semester left to go, there's still time to learn, create, and connect with our vibrant creative community this fall!

Discount Available

Spaces are limited, so grab your spot and get creative this fall! 

TRIE Resident Discount – 35% use promo BXFALL25 

• Available to residents of TRIE area. To qualify, your registration and mailing address must match one of the eligible zip codes. 

• 10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10455, 10456, 10457, 10458, 10459, 10460, 10463, 10466, 10467, 10468, 10469, 10472, 10473, 10474 

Click below to sign up for a FREE trial class and see what it’s all about. 

Please Note: Each person may sign up for only ONE free trial class, applies to select classes only. 

FREE Trial Classes

Main Education Page

Teen Project Studio 2025-26

Registration Still Open

Teen Project Studio is a FREE intensive art program for teens ages 15–19 who are passionate about visual arts. Registration is still open. Twice a week, participants will meet and dive deep into creative projects, collaborate with peers, and explore new techniques.

Learn More about Teen Project Studio

MSCreate 2025-26

Registration Still Open

Sign up for MSCreate, a FREE afterschool art program for middle schoolers. Registration is still open! The program runs five days a week, with participants exploring innovative art projects, developing new skills, and collaborating in a dynamic creative space.

Learn More about MSCreate

Gallery

Cross Bronx/Living Legend

On view until November 9th

The Bronx River Art Center is proud to showcase Cross Bronx/Living Legend, an exhibition that reconsiders one of New York City’s most contested infrastructures through new photography and oral histories that focus on the experience of the people and places alongside it. The story of the Cross Bronx has long been told as a saga of governments and powerful men, destruction, disconnection, and congestion. But behind these sweeping narratives are the everyday lives of the people who call the corridor home. In neighborhoods like Highbridge, West Farms, Crotona Park, and Parkchester, residents have long contended with the highway’s indisputable harms – displacement, asthma, noise, and barriers that cut across community life. Yet alongside anger and struggle are joy, pride, and love of neighbors.

Rather than retelling the story of the highway itself, Cross Bronx/Living Legend is a story of people and place. Through new images of the corridor by Bronx-based photographer Abigail Montes, audio excerpts from conversations with dozens of Bronx residents, and never-exhibited historical materials, Cross Bronx/Living Legend presents a picture of the corridor as one continually in the making. As new visions for its future take shape, the boldest possibilities can not be dictated from the perspective of the highway, but must come from the expertise, hopes, and imaginations of the communities who live with it every day.

Events

Cross Bronx Neighborhood Spotlight

West Farms Spotlight

Saturday, November 8 from 11am - 1pm

FREE EVENT

Explore Cross Bronx neighborhoods on a West Farms walking tour! The West Farms neighborhood, home to Bronx River Art Center, has long been shaped by industry, infrastructure, and the presence of the Cross Bronx Expressway.

Join the Department of City Planning and local leaders for a guided walking tour that explores how industry and homes coexist, the past and present of the Bronx River, and the vibrant East Tremont commercial corridor. Participants will also gain insight into the lived realities of the Cross Bronx in the community, past and present, and imagine what the future might hold for this vibrant neighborhood.

The walk will begin at the Cross Bronx/Living Legend exhibition at BRAC.

RSVP for Neighborhood Spotlight Event

Attorney General James and Multistate Coalition Secure $5.1 Million from Education Software Company for Failing to Protect Students’ Data

 

Illuminate Exposed Personal Information of Millions of Students in New York, California, and Connecticut  

Settlements Require Illuminate to Significantly Improve Data Security to Protect Students’ Data Nationwide 

New York Attorney General Letitia James, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced today that they have secured $5.1 million from educational technology company Illuminate Education, Inc. (Illuminate) for failing to protect students’ data. Illuminate provides software to schools and school districts across the country to track students’ attendance and grades and to monitor students’ academic, behavioral, and mental health development. In 2022, Illuminate experienced a data breach that exposed the personal information of millions of students, including 1.7 million students in New York. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) found that Illuminate failed to implement basic security measures to protect students’ data, including failing to monitor for suspicious activity on their platforms. As a result of today’s settlements, Illuminate must pay $5.1 million and take steps to enhance and strengthen their cybersecurity practices.    

“Students, parents, and teachers should be able to trust that their schools’ online platforms are safe and secure,” said Attorney General James. “Illuminate violated that trust and did not take basic steps to protect students’ data. Today’s settlements will ensure that Illuminate protects students’ data in classrooms across the country. My office will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect children online.”   

“Technology is everywhere in schools today, and Connecticut’s Student Data Privacy Law requires strict security to protect children’s information,” said Attorney General Tong. “Illuminate failed to implement basic safeguards and exposed the personal information of millions of students, including thousands here in Connecticut. This action—Connecticut’s first ever under the Student Data Privacy Law—holds Illuminate accountable and sends a strong message to education technology companies that they must take privacy obligations seriously.”

“Illuminate failed to appropriately safeguard the data of school children, resulting in a data breach that compromised the sensitive data of students nationwide, including more than 434,000 California students. Our investigation revealed a troubling pattern of security deficiencies that should have never happened for a company charged with protecting data about kids,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Today’s settlement should send a clear message to tech companies, especially those in the education space: California law imposes heightened obligations for companies to secure children’s’ information. I am grateful to Attorney General James and Attorney General Tong for their partnership in investigating companies that fail to safeguard our residents’ data. Data security concerns know no borders, and as today’s settlements showcase, neither should state collaboration.”

“Administrators, caregivers, and students should feel confident that the software platforms used in schools uphold the highest standards of data security and privacy,” said NYSED Commissioner Rosa. “By failing to follow even the most basic security protocols, Illuminate exposed the personal information of millions of students to bad actors—an egregious breach of trust and data protection. I thank the attorneys general—especially Letitia James of New York—for their partnership in this investigation and commend them for their unwavering dedication to safeguarding the personal information of our students and families.”

In December 2021, hackers were able to access one of Illuminate’s online accounts using the credentials of a former employee who had left the company years earlier. The hackers then downloaded unencrypted database files containing the information of approximately 1.7 million current and former New York students from approximately 750 schools. The student information included student names, birth dates, student ID numbers, and demographic information.    

The OAG and NYSED determined that prior to the breach, Illuminate had failed to implement reasonable data security practices designed to protect students’ personal information. Among other things, Illuminate failed to encrypt student data, implement appropriate systems and processes to monitor for suspicious activity, decommission inactive user accounts, and limit account permissions to only those that were necessary. Illuminate also failed to delete student data when its contracts with certain school districts ended and failed to conduct a complete investigation following the data breach. In addition, Illuminate made representations about its data security program that ran counter to its actual data security practices.     

As a result of today’s settlements, Illuminate must pay $5.1 million, of which New York will receive $1.7 million, in penalties and costs. Illuminate is also required to adopt measures to better protect students’ personal information, including:    

• Maintaining a comprehensive information security program that ensures safeguards are in place to protect the security, integrity, and confidentiality of students’ data;   
• Establishing and implementing policies and procedures that appropriately limit access to students’ data;   
• Encrypting students’ data that it collects, stores, transmits, and/or maintains;    
• Establishing and maintaining a system designed to monitor networks and systems for anomalous activity and/or data security events; and 
• Establishing and implementing a vulnerability management program designed to track vulnerabilities and apply applicable technical measures to remedy them.    

Illuminate must also provide schools with an annual notice that identifies the categories of student data it collects and lets schools identify student records, such as those that are dated or inactive, for deletion.  

As Shutdown Continues and New Yorkers’ Food Access is Under Threat, Governor Hochul Urges Day of Hunger Action for All Empire State Service Corps Students

All Empire State Service Corps Students Will Be Asked To Support Efforts To Combat Food Insecurity; Assisting Food Pantries and Food Banks Throughout New York State

Campaign Comes as the Shutdown Continues and 3 Million New Yorkers’ SNAP Benefits Are Under Threat

Governor Kathy Hochul today urged all members of the Empire State Service Corps and all New Yorkers to combat food insecurity and commit to a day of hunger action on Friday, November 7. As the shutdown continues and New Yorkers’ SNAP benefits are under threat, Governor Hochul's request will necessitate all Empire State Service Corps members, regardless of their usual area of service focus, support efforts combating food insecurity. The Empire State Service Corps, championed by Governor Hochul, is New York State’s largest AmeriCorps program. Through the program, 500 students from 45 SUNY campuses throughout New York State commit to dedicating at least 300 hours to engaging in paid community service, while also convening regularly to share and learn from each other’s experiences.

“Three million New Yorkers are navigating food insecurity because of the confusion and dysfunction coming out of Washington,” Governor Hochul said. “No one should go hungry or have to endure additional stress because the food assistance they expect and deserve is being used as a bargaining chip. Our state is stepping up: the Empire State Service Corps provides SUNY students with civic engagement opportunities to serve their communities, and during the crisis I am proud that these students are ready to help our most vulnerable.”

Governor Hochul’s initiative calls on students to coordinate with SUNY staff and assist with regional food pantries and foodbanks, or to provide services at their campus food pantries. This action builds on Governor Hochul’s recently announced $100 million in state funds dedicated to assisting food pantries and banks statewide during this time of unprecedented demand.

Focus Areas Empire State Service Corps Members Traditionally Work In Include:

Civic Engagement/Civil Discourse: Students will serve either on or off campus with organizations such as local nonprofits related to civic engagement and civil discourse, including nonpartisan voter outreach, voter registration and engaging campus peers in voter activity.

Early Childhood Education (new in 2025-26): Students will serve at a host site dedicated to early childhood education and/or development (for example, daycare or Head Start centers).

FAFSA Completion: Students will serve local communities, in visits to local high schools and through work on-campus, to support students in completing the FAFSA.

Food Insecurity/SNAP Basic Needs: Students will serve on or off campus supporting students and others with SNAP outreach as well as basic needs support (which could include shifts at a campus food pantry) or with other food insecurity-aligned work.

K-12 Education: Students will partner with local school districts for regular tutoring sessions with students in the community who need more academic support.

Peer Mental Health: Students will be trained to serve as a peer mental health educator, typically at a campus/community wellness or counseling center. Students will support peers either on or off campus in supporting strong mental health practices and overall wellness initiatives.

Student Success Coaching (new in 2025-26): Students will work with middle and high school students to combat common challenges external to academics like addressing chronic absenteeism, access to socio-emotional learning, mentoring, and mental health support.

Sustainability: Students will serve in campus roles and with local nonprofits and State agencies on sustainability work, such as recycling campaigns, tree planting, pollinator gardens, and sustainability outreach.

Veterans Affairs Outreach (new in 2025-26): Students will serve at host sites dedicated to supporting active military or veterans' affairs for individuals, families, or affiliated groups.

Three Chinese National Scholars from University of Michigan Laboratory Charged for Conspiring to Smuggle Biological Materials into the U.S.

 

Three research scholars from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) were charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to smuggle biological materials into the United States and for making false statements to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. These are the latest charges in a long string of cases stemming from University of Michigan (UM) international research activities.

“Allegedly attempting to smuggle biological materials under the guise of ‘research’ is a serious crime that threatens America’s national and agricultural security,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will remain vigilant to threats like these from foreign nationals who would take advantage of America’s generosity to advance a malicious agenda.”

“At some point, pattern becomes practice. And, apparently, these three men are part of a long and alarming pattern of criminal activities committed by Chinese Nationals under the cover of the University of Michigan. This is a threat to our collective security. We are thankful for the vigilance of our elite federal partners—ICE HSI, FBI, and CBP—as a counterweight against this threat,” said United States Attorney Gorgon.

Charged were Xu Bai, 28, Fengfan Zhang, 27 and Zhiyong Zhang, 30.  Bai and F. Zhang were charged with conspiracy to smuggle biological materials into the United States and Z. Zhang was charged with making false statements to federal agents.  All three men were research scholars holding J-1 visas who were conducting research at the UM laboratory of Xianzhong Xu, commonly referred to as the Shawn Xu laboratory.

According to the criminal complaint, in 2024 and 2025, Bai and F. Zhang were the recipients of multiple shipments containing concealed biological materials related to round worms which had been sent from the PRC to the United States by Chengxuan Han, a citizen of the PRC. Han was pursuing a Ph.D. from the College of Life Science and Technology in the Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan, PRC and in June 2025, traveled to the United States to work in the laboratory at UM.  Han recently pleaded no contest to three counts of smuggling and one count of false statements, was sentenced and then removed from the United States.

After Han’s arrest and removal from the United States, UM initiated an internal investigation into the Shawn Xu laboratory. All three defendants refused to attend a mandatory meeting or participate in the investigation and so were terminated. This termination made them eligible for removal by the Department of Homeland Security.

The defendants purchased airline tickets to depart the United States from Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) to the PRC on October 20, 2025. On October 10, 2025, federal agents attempted to locate the defendants at their home and elsewhere but were unsuccessful. That same day, the defendants rebooked their flights for October 15, 2025. They also booked flights to the PRC departing from John F. Kennedy International Airport for 2:00 a.m. on October 16, 2025. The defendants did not cancel or show for their DTW flight on October 15, 2025. Defendants instead traveled to New York and attempted to board the early morning JFK flight to the PRC on October 16. During an inspection by CBP, Z. Zhang made false statements about Han. Bai and F. Zhang told CBP officers they had received packages from Han including after her arrest or removal from the United States.

“This case underscores the vital importance of safeguarding the American people and addressing vulnerabilities within foreign student and exchange visitor programs,” said acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “Educational institutions must enhance their admissions procedures to prevent exploitation, which can pose risks to national security, as demonstrated in this instance. I commend the ICE HSI agents and officers who work tirelessly to protect our nation and uphold the rule of law every day.”

“These charges show the FBI and our partners will aggressively investigate and hold accountable those who violate our laws, and that academic research cannot excuse illegal activity,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The Chinese nationals charged today allegedly were involved in smuggling biological materials into the U.S. on several occasions. The FBI and our partners are committed to defending the homeland and stopping any illegal smuggling into our country.”

“ICE HSI remains steadfast in its mission to protect the homeland from malicious foreign actors,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz. “These cases impact both the safety of Michigan communities and our national security. Our agents, in collaboration with law enforcement partners, are dedicated to preventing our communities and educational institutions from being exploited against the American people.”

“The actions taken by the FBI and law enforcement partners reflect our firm commitment to protecting the American people, defending the homeland and prioritizing national security,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The FBI will not tolerate any attempt to exploit our nation’s institutions, whether higher learning or otherwise, for unlawful purposes. We will continue to work with our partners at ICE HSI and CBP to ensure the safety and strength of Michigan and our nation.”

“This case exemplifies the critical role of collaboration among our federal partners in defending our national security interests,” said CBP Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon. “Foreign actors continue to seek ways to exploit vulnerabilities, including within our nation's higher education system to advance their agendas. I commend the tireless efforts of our officers and federal partners in identifying and neutralizing these threats to ensure the safety and security of our great nation.”

ICE HSI, the FBI, and CBP investigated this case with significant assistance from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Detroit.

A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.   

Jail Barge Removed To Make Way For Hunts Point Marine Terminal In The Bronx

 

The decommissioned Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center jail barge has been removed from its anchorage off the Hunts Point Peninsula in The Bronx, paving the way for the City’s construction of the Hunts Point Marine Terminal. Developed by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), the terminal will handle shipping containers and facilitate last-mile freight delivery via barges and ferries, reducing truck traffic on local streets.

The above rendering depicts the forthcoming terminal at the corner of the point, illustrating its proximity to the sprawling Fulton Fish Market structure. The jail facility formerly occupied the entire length of the port wall where the cargo barge is pictured.

Photograph of the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center being tugged out of New York City. Credit: NYCEDC.

A component of Mayor Eric Adams’ “Hunts Point Forward” vision and the citywide “Blue Highways” Action Plan, the Hunts Point Marine Terminal project is projected to generate $3.9 billion in economic impact over 30 years and create 400 construction jobs and 100 permanent jobs. The terminal will also serve as a node in the broader Blue Highways network, connecting with ports across the East Coast.

As part of the redevelopment, NYCEDC will invest $28.3 million in shoreline infrastructure upgrades at the former VCBC site and the adjacent DSNY South Bronx Marine Transfer Station. The marine terminal will be located next to the Blue Highways facility announced earlier this year in partnership with Con Agg Global, situated near the Fulton Fish Market within the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center. These developments support the City’s long-term goals for improving freight mobility, reducing emissions, and enhancing community access to the waterfront.

“Today is a new day for the Hunts Point peninsula as we finally remove the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center, a jail barge that has long overstayed on our city’s waterfront,” said NYCEDC president and CEO Andrew Kimball. “This celebratory moment is a win for the Hunts Point community, for Mayor Adams who put forth a bold vision in the ‘Hunts Point Forward’ plan, and for New York City as we can work on the next step towards making the Hunts Point Marine Terminal a reality while building on the Blue Highways Action Plan.”

The City will receive $1.5 million in compensation for the removal of the five-story floating jail.