Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) - Volunteer with us!

 

Call for Volunteers: Art Gallery Desk Reception

The Bronx River Art Center is seeking friendly, responsible volunteers to serve as Gallery Desk Reception Volunteers during our winter 2026 gallery season. Gallery volunteers are ambassadors for our visual arts program and play a vital role in welcoming neighbors, artists, and visitors into our space.

About the Opportunity



Gallery Desk Reception Volunteers help create a warm, welcoming, and informative experience for all visitors. Responsibilities include:



•   Welcoming and orienting guests
•   Answering basic questions about current exhibitions and programs
•   Maintaining the gallery desk and sign-in materials
•   Answering phones and directing inquiries
•   Guiding visitors throughout the building as needed

This role is ideal for individuals interested in visual arts, community engagement, customer service, or nonprofit experience.

Volunteer Schedule & Commitment

We are recruiting volunteers to support gallery hours from January through March 2026, including exhibition openings and regular gallery hours.

Gallery Hours:



•   Tuesday–Friday: 3:00–6:00 PM (Volunteer shift: 2:45–6:15 PM)
•   Saturdays & Sundays: 12:00–5:00 PM

•   (2–3 hour shifts available)
•   Shifts are flexible, with a 2-hour minimum commitment per shift.

Volunteer Benefits

•   After completing three gallery shifts, volunteers receive a complimentary art class at BRAC
•   15% Discount for classes after 3 shifts 
•   Hands-on experience in a community-based arts organization
•   Opportunities to engage with artists, curators, and visitors
•   Be part of a welcoming, creative, and mission-driven environment

How to Get Involved

Email us at BRACinfo@bronxriverart.org 

Please let us know your availability, and a member of our team will reach out to discuss next steps. We look forward to welcoming you to the Bronx River Art Center and thank you for supporting contemporary art in our community.

Senator Julia Salazar - Tomorrow: Free Tenant Support

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson - JOIN US: Three Kings Day Celebration

 

Teledyne Electronic Safety Products Agrees to Pay $1.5M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Involving the Sale of Non-Conforming Parts to the Department of Defense

 

Today, the Justice Department announced that Teledyne RISI Inc., also known as Teledyne Electronic Safety Products (Teledyne ESP), an aerospace and defense electronics company based in Chatsworth, California, has agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by supplying aircraft parts to the military that did not meet contract specifications.

The settlement resolves allegations that Teledyne ESP, as a subcontractor for U.S. Navy contracts, knowingly caused false claims to be submitted to the U.S. Navy in connection with its manufacture of Digital Recovery Sequencer (DRS) units containing a microelectronic part that did not conform with the specifications reviewed and approved by the Navy. DRS units were a component of ejection seat systems used by various types of military aircraft. Teledyne ESP allegedly obtained the non-conforming parts from a third-party broker that was neither an Original Equipment Manufacturer nor an authorized re-seller of the part. The DRS units with the alleged non-conforming part were delivered to the Navy between November 2011 and June 2012 and installed as part of ejection seat systems in military aircraft.

“Our military aviators rely on defense supply chains to provide them with equipment that they can depend on, even in the most difficult conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who supply equipment to the U.S. military that does not conform to the contract specifications.”

“Our military should not only expect the correct, conforming parts for the equipment they need to serve and defend our country, they deserve that proper equipment,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to support this multi-agency investigation to protect our servicemembers from risks introduced by non-conforming parts in our military supply chains.”

“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General (OIG), remains committed to safeguarding the integrity of the DoD supply chain,” said Special Agent-in-Charge John E. Helsing of the DoD-OIG, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office. “Non-conforming parts in the DoD supply chain presents a risk to our warfighters and threaten our Nation’s security.” 

“The Air Force Office of Special Investigations remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the warfighter by rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse in the defense supply chain,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrell Freeman of Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Southeast Field Office. “Today’s $1.5 million settlement demonstrates that AFOSI, working shoulder-to-shoulder with our Department of Justice, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and Air Force Materiel Command partners, will aggressively pursue and hold accountable any contractor that fails to meet contract requirements that protect the safety and readiness of U.S. military personnel.”

In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Teledyne ESP took a number of significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperation with the government’s investigation, including identifying witnesses and facilitating their interviews; and providing investigative updates to the United States and other customers, including through the Government-Industry Data Exchange Program. Teledyne ESP received credit under the Department of Justice’s guidelines in Justice Manual § 4-4.112 for taking cooperation into account in cases involving False Claims Act allegations.   

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, DCIS, AF OSI, and the Air Force Materiel Command Law Office, Procurement Fraud Division. This matter was handled by Fraud Section attorney Richard W. Hagner and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Leventis for the District of South Carolina.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Protecting Our Kids: Governor Hochul Announces Nation-Leading Proposals to Protect Kids Online, Restrict AI Chatbots and Combat the Youth Mental Health Crisis

New Legislation Will Help Protect Kids from Predators, Scammers and Harmful AI Chatbots on Online Platforms

New York Will Lead the Nation in Teen Mental Health First Aid Training

Expands Resources To Allow Every Tenth Grader to Be Trained in Teen Mental Health First Aid, Empowering Kids to Support Their Peers

Builds on Governor’s Nation-Leading Work To Ban Smartphones in Schools, Enact Social Media Warning Labels and Restrict Addictive Feeds, Create Safeguards Against Harmful AI Companions, and Open More than 1,300 School-Based Mental Health Clinics

Governor Kathy Hochul today unveiled her first State of the State proposals, which will continue to build on her progress to keep New York’s kids safe online and combat the youth mental health crisis statewide. The new legislation will help protect children from online predators, scammers and harmful AI chatbots integrated on online platforms. Additionally, the Governor is proposing a first-of-its-kind, statewide expansion of Teen Mental Health First Aid training, designed to give young people the tools to identify, understand, and effectively respond to signs of mental health and substance abuse challenges among their friends and peers. These proposals build on Governor Hochul’s nation-leading work to ban smartphones in schools, enact social media warning labels, restrict addictive feeds, and create safeguards against harmful AI companions. Governor Hochul’s focus on youth mental health also led to the creation of more school-based mental health clinics, community-based treatment options, and peer-based supports for youth and adults.

“As New York’s first mom Governor, the well-being and safety of our children has always been one of my top priorities, and today we are continuing to break new ground to give our kids the tools and safeguards they need to contend with the unprecedented mental health challenges and real world dangers that can sometimes be a byproduct of navigating today’s digital world,” Governor Hochul said. “These proposals will create a nation-leading standard that will ensure our kids’ safety in online and real world environments where they spend time.”

New Protections for Kids on Online Platforms

Numerous lawsuits and investigations have alleged that online platforms have not taken appropriate steps to protect the children using them. These online platforms allow children and adults to contact each other worldwide — which leaves children susceptible to grooming, child abuse, and exposure to violent and inappropriate content, including suicide.

The Governor’s proposed legislative package to keep kids safe from emerging threats on social media and online gaming platforms will include:

• Expanding Age Verification: Expanding requirements for platforms to conduct age verification, including online game platforms.
• Privacy by Default: Kids will be set to the highest privacy settings on covered platforms by default, meaning non-connections cannot message kids, view their profile, or tag them in content. Location settings will be turned off by default, and children under 13 must receive parental approval for new connections.
• Disabling AI Chatbot Features: Disabling certain AI chatbot features on social media platforms for kids.
• Parental Controls: Parents must be able to set limits on children’s financial transactions.

This package draws on existing legislation sponsored by State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Nily Rozic.

Expanding Youth Mental Health Training For Hundreds of Thousands of Teens

Governor Hochul will propose to make Teen Mental Health First Aid training available to all 10th graders across New York State. New York would phase in a commitment to make training available to more than 180,000 students annually, ensuring that over time most high school students will have the basic skills to support themselves and each other.

When teens experience mental health and substance use challenges, often their first resort is to talk to their peers. Likewise, friends are often best positioned to identify and empathize with stressors that may be acting on fellow students. Research demonstrates that with training, young people have the capacity to both identify and effectively respond to mental health challenges in ways that can improve and even save lives.

This training is designed for young people between the ages 15 and 18 so they can identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges in their friends and peers. It equips them with skills to recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges; the impact of bullying and school violence on mental health; how to have impactful conversations with classmates about mental health concerns or to seek help from an adult; formal and informal support, and self-care.

As part of this initiative, the State will also offer new Youth Mental Health First Aid training for adults who regularly interact with youth in schools and community programs. This nationally-recognized curriculum introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. 

This State of the State proposal builds on Governor Hochul’s ongoing efforts to address the youth mental health crisis statewide and help keep kids safe online. This work has established New York as a global leader in securing a safer online world for children. Initiatives include:

• The SAFE for Kids Act, which restricts addictive features of social media for kids, and establishes important national precedent about age verification.
• The Child Data Protection Act that prevents online operators from collecting and monetizing children’s data without informed consent.
• AI Companion legislation which set first-in-the-nation safeguards, diverting user conversations about self-harm to mental health resources and interrupting unhealthy addictive behaviors. The Governor also outlawed AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material.
• The Unplug and Play Agenda which helps encourage the healthy socialization and child development by funding social infrastructure, physical sites like playgrounds, community centers, and pools, and expanded youth programming.
• New York’s Distraction Free Learning Policy which is already resulting in greater academic achievement, improved student wellbeing, and safer school environments for students.
• The recently signed Warning Labels bill that will require social media companies post warnings about the platform's potential impact on mental health.

Governor Hochul’s nation-leading $1 billion mental health initiative and hundreds of millions of dollars in funding in subsequent budgets is significantly expanding access to care for young people and their families –from increasing inpatient and residential treatment capacity to building community-based services designed to help youth remain at home and in their community.

• Governor Hochul also expanded school-based mental health clinics, which help students get a licensed mental health care provider in a familiar stigma-free setting on their school campus. The state now supports 1,300 clinic satellites, up from 872 in 2020, covering 25 percent of all NYS public schools.
• Governor Hochul’s focus on youth mental health also led to the creation of new Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams to support young people with serious emotional disturbances who are either at risk of entering, or are returning home from high intensity services, such as inpatient settings or residential services. New York funds 42 new Youth ACT teams — 23 now operational -- in 31 counties, providing youth and family therapy, medication management, family and peer support, and skill-building.
• There are also now 65 Home Based Crisis Intervention Teams - including 60 that are now accepting referrals - which serve youth between the ages of 5 and 20 and provide intensive individualized services to help families support young people recovering from mental illness in their own homes.
• Governor Hochul also established the Youth Mental Health Advisory Board, a 30-member advisory board which includes youth between the ages of 11 and 17. The advisory board convenes quarterly and is designed to ensure that youth-informed best practices continue to be incorporated in developing behavioral health programs and policies.
• Governor Hochul also expanded Youth Safe Spaces programs, which provide a place for young people between the ages of 12 and 24 to access behavioral health and wellness resources, foster positive relationships with their peers, and receive support in a comfortable setting. To support the initiative developed with input from the Governor’s Youth Mental Health Advisory Board, the Office of Mental Health awarded $7.5 million to establish four sites this fall and is soliciting proposals for additional locations to be awarded early next year.

MAYOR MAMDANI SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDERS TO CRACK DOWN ON JUNK FEES, SUBSCRIPTION TRICKS AND TRAPS AND SAVE NEW YORKERS MONEY

 

Amid an affordability crisis, junk fees and subscription tricks and traps are making goods and services less affordable for New Yorkers 

 

DCWP will soon begin outreach to businesses to ensure compliance with city law and signal immediate consequences  

 

Alongside, Attorney General Tish James, Council Member Julie Menin, and DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine, Mayor Mamdani signed two executive orders to protect New Yorkers against misleading fees and deceptive subscription traps 

TODAY, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, joined by Attorney General Letitia James, City Council Member Julie Menin, and DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine, signed two executive orders: to combat businesses’ deceptive use of junk fees and crackdown on subscription tricks and traps that that drain money from New Yorkers and make essential goods and services less affordable. 

 

Following the signing, DCWP will begin outreach to businesses to ensure compliance with city law and signal immediate consequences.  

 

“New Yorkers deserve to know exactly what they are paying, how much it will cost, and whether they are signing up for an ongoing charge — before a single dollar leaves their account. Instead, too many people are hit with hidden fees and blindsided by subscription traps they never knowingly agreed to and cannot easily escape,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “In the midst of an affordability crisis that is already pushing working New Yorkers out of their city, these deceptive practices put even more strain on household budgets. This executive order restores what should have always been the case: transparency in pricing, accountability for companies, and full compliance with the law.” 

 

“New Yorkers are paying too much for everyday services because of hidden, unexpected junk fees and illegal subscriptions traps. These fees and traps, which have made daily life harder and drained household budgets, have gone unchecked for far too long. It is time to hold companies accountable for deceptive practices and give New Yorkers back the power and transparency they deserve — so they can make purchases without being blindsided by costs they cannot avoid,” said Sam Levine, Commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.  

 

“As former Commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, I saw firsthand how deceptive junk fees and abusive subscription practices erode household finances and undermine trust in our marketplace. The Mayor’s executive orders establish a strong and coordinated framework to confront these practices by strengthening enforcement, increasing price transparency, and aligning action across city and state partners. We must protect New Yorkers from unexpected and unavoidable charges, support honest businesses that disclose prices upfront, and reinforce a basic principle that every transaction in this city should be clear and fair. I commend Mayor Mamdani for taking decisive action, and I look forward to working with him to advance consumer protection and affordability for all New Yorkers," said Council Member Julie Menin. 

 

“From hidden junk fees to predatory subscription traps, companies are using a wide range of deceptive tactics to raise costs for New Yorkers,” said Attorney General James. “For years my office has been fighting back, holding companies accountable for taking advantage of consumers and returning millions of dollars to those who were cheated. I applaud Mayor Mamdani for protecting New Yorkers with these new executive orders and look forward to working with his administration to lower costs.” 

 

EXECUTIVE  ORDER NO. 9 — COMBATTING HIDDEN JUNK FEES:  

 

Amid a growing affordability crisis, many companies continue to mislead New Yorkers into paying junk fees — fees that do not meaningfully contribute to the service and are often hidden until after a purchase decision has been made. Junk fees have infiltrated nearly every part of our economy from gym memberships and concert tickets to airline bookings and healthcare services.  

 

By signing this executive order to take on junk fees, this administration is signaling it will  aggressively crack down on companies who mislead New Yorkers into paying more for services, saving New Yorkers money amidst our cost-of-living crisis. The first executive order signed by Mayor Mamdani to combat junk fees will:  

 

•   Establish a Citywide Junk Fee Task Force: The task force will be chaired by Deputy Mayor of Economic Justice Julie Su and DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine and will work to advance the city’s work in combatting junk fees and making New York City more affordable. 

•   Combat Hidden Junk Fees: Direct the DCWP to consider and take any actions it deems appropriate to crack down on deceptive or hidden fees that unfairly burden New Yorkers. 

•   Enforce Compliance with City Law: Directs the DCWP to monitor compliance, investigate potential violations, and take enforcement actions as authorized under applicable laws and rules, including any new rules designed to address hidden junk fees.  

 

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 10 — FIGHTING SUBSCRIPTION TRICKS AND TRAPS 

 

Too many New Yorkers are being tricked into subscriptions that quietly drain their money — today, Mayor Mamdani also signed an executive order to fight subscription tricks and traps. This executive order:  

 

•   Empowers the city to use the full tools and authorities of the office to crack down on illegal subscription practices 

•   Directs the DCWP to monitor, investigate, and enforce violations related to subscription tricks and traps 

•   Urges DCWP to make recommendations to the City Council to fight subscription tricks and traps 

•   Calls for coordination with agencies, including the Law Department, and other offices, like the New York State Attorney General to ensure maximum impact in combating subscription traps   

 

Businesses use a range of deceptive practices to trap customers in unwanted subscriptions, including so-called “free trials” that automatically convert into paid plans with critical disclosures buried in fine print or behind hyper links; adding monthly fees or add-on charges after payment information has already been collected; disguising subscriptions as one-time purchases; bundling subscriptions with other services so consumers do not realize they are paying for an additional product; and making cancellation intentionally difficult — forcing consumers to call during limited hours, remember or reset login credentials, or navigate multiple screens before they can cancel.  

 

Junk fees not only hurt consumers, but they also disadvantage honest businesses that are upfront with pricing. The Mamdani administration will hold companies accountable, leveling the playing field while protecting New Yorkers from deceptive practices. 

 

Mayor Mamdani takes the protection of New York consumers and tenants seriously. Just yesterday, Mayor Mamdani signed an executive order to hold “Rental Ripoff” hearings in every borough. These hearings provide an opportunity for working New Yorkers to speak about the challenges they face – from poor building conditions to hidden fees on rent payments. Following these hearings, the Mamdani administration will publish a summary and report detailing common themes and areas of opportunity, and the testimony shared at these hearings will directly inform policy interventions to take on these ripoff tactics. Details about the hearings will be available at nyc.gov/RentalRipoff.   

  

Wave Hill Weekly Events (Jan 15 – Jan 22) | Reboot & Relish in a Hidden Wonderland.

 

Moments of peace are tucked away in this corner of the Bronx, hidden away from the crowds of Manhattan; Frozen in time, much like a scene in a snow globe. Get lost in an experience like no other. Gain clarity, find strength, and appreciate the beauty of the gardens. Whether you’re relishing in your solitude or sharing a moment with that special someone, at Wave Hill you’ll find yourself cocooned and comforted by the scenes of nature around you. 

  

Nature & Wellness 

 

Warming Winter Yoga 

Sun, Jan 18, 11:00AM – 12:00PM    

Registration encouraged.    

Yoga returns to the majestic Armor Hall this winter! As you’re surrounded by panoramic views of the Conifer Slope, stunning trees, and the tranquility of the winter garden, feel reconnected, refreshed, and revitalized through gentle yoga practice.  

 

Garden Highlights Walk 

Sun, Jan 18, 1:00PM – 1:30PM    

Free with admission to the grounds     

Registration not required.    

Join a knowledgeable Wave Hill Garden Guide for a leisurely stroll in the gardens. Topics vary by season and the expertise of the Guide; each walk varies with the Guide leading it.  

 

Family 

 

Family Art Project: Freedom Quilters of Gee’s Bend 

Sat, Jan 17, 10:00AM – 1:00PM   

Sun, Jan 18, 10:00AM – 1:00PM   

Free with admission to the grounds     

Registration not required.    

In 1966 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited the Gee’s Bend Community in rural Alabama, and the Freedom Quilting Bee was established.  Create your own fabric collage, inspired by the women quilters of Gee’s Bendand the bold colors and patterns they used to honor Dr. King’s Birthday and these pioneers. At 11:30AM, families are invited to a special storytime in the Gund Theater.  

 

HOURS STARTING MARCH 15: 10AM–4:30PM, Tuesday–Sunday  

Shuttle Service free from Subway and Metro-North, Saturday–Sunday 

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