Eugene Calls For A Haiti Day
Flatbush Council Member Mathieu Eugene has introduced two resolutions in the City Council calling for the establishment of a day in recognition of the historic contributions of Haitians to the United States of America and to the City of New York, respectively.
The first resolution, introduced on April 28 calls upon the federal and state government to establish an annual Haitian Day while the second, introduced on May 14 calls upon the city to establish an annual New York City Haitian Day.
Haiti is the first Independent black nation in the world following the great African Diaspora brought on by the slave trade and is the second oldest nation in the Western Hemisphere after the United States.
Among its prominent New York City citizens is early 19th Century, Haitian philanthropist and freed slave, Pierre Toussaint, who founded an orphanage on Franklin Street, W.E.B. DuBois, a civil rights leader and famous Harlem writer of Haitian descent, and Rodney Leon, a Brooklyn native of Haitian descent, who has designed several buildings in New York City, including the African Burial Ground Memorial in Lower Manhattan.
“With the immense cultural and social contributions that Haitians have made to the United States and the City of New York throughout their history, it is only appropriate that the government designate days recognizing those remarkable achievements. For nearly 250 years, Haitians have had a positive impact on America in so many different ways and the time has come for us to properly honor their legacy,” said Eugene.
Bklyn Lawmakers Want More School Crossing Guards
Brooklyn City Councilmembers Brad Lander, Carlos Menchaca, Chaim Deutsch and Robert Cornegy are asking for a school crossing guard at every dangerous intersection.
The lawmakers will rally with other elected officials, advocates, school crossing guards, parents and students will rally on the steps of City Hall to improve working conditions and raise the headcount of school crossing guards across New York City.
Specifically, advocates at the rally will call for a much needed 10% increase in the school crossing guard headcount for FY 2016, as well as significant job quality improvements.
When: at 12 noon, tomorrow, Tuesday, May 26
Where: City Hall Steps
Lander, Menchaca, Levin Re-Imagine Middle School Process
Brooklyn City Council members Brad Lander, Stephen Levin and Carlos Menchaca will hold a seminar this week for past, present and soon-to-be 5th graders and their parents to better re-imagine the current “middle school choice” admissions process.
“Around this time of year, I often hear from parents that the process is confusing, demoralizing, too heavily based on screening, and amplifies the problems of segregation,” said Lander. “Before we start the process again next year, we wanted to work together with some of our partners to have a community conversation about the issue, and what changes you believe are necessary.”
That’s the reasoning behind why the three lawmakers along with the School District Community Education Council, and D15 Superintendent Anita Skop will host the panel discussion and public forum on re-imagining the middle school choice process:
Jumaane Williams Interviewed
East Flatbush City Councilman Jumaane Williams is talks about his views on the 421-a tax break program in a City & State Interview. http://tinyurl.com/kh9s3hg
Lander, Civic Group Decry Plan For LICH Site
City Councilman Brad Lander and the Cobble Hill Association, last week, decried plans to build high rises including one as high as 40 stories on the former Long Island College Hospital site, DNAInfo reports.
The lawmaker and civic organization were responding to two possible plans for the former hospital on land bound by Atlantic Avenue, Henry and Congress streets and the BQE.
“Essentially [for] the LICH opponents, part of their argument was that [LICH] is being closed to generate a profit for developers who are already wealthy,” Roy Sloane, a local resident and CHA member who strongly advocated for the hospital, told the media outlet.
“In these huge out-of-scale high-rises, they see vindication in what their concern has been all along. And it’s hard not to agree with them.”
Lander told the CHA that he hoped the community and the developer could work together to build some kind of consensus, but he would prefer the return of a full-service hospital.
Ola Holds Senior Citizens Town Hall Meeting
Fort Green Democratic Assembly District Leader Olanike (Ola) Alabi will host a senior citizen town hall meeting. Below is the poster and details.
