Maloney, Crowley Visit Grow with Google Training Session in Astoria
U. S. Reps. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn), Joe Crowley (D-Sunnyside, Astoria, College Point, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Corona, Woodside, The Bronx) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) yesterday visited the Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey Headquarters in Astoria for a Grow with Google digital skills workshop.
Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey is receiving $300,000 in funds from Google to serve as one of 10 national “Digital Accelerators.”
Goodwill will utilize the funds to enhance their job training programs to equip their employees, job seekers, and career advancers with the skills necessary to be competitive in the ever-growing digital economy.
Today, nearly half of all jobs in the U.S. require basic digital skills, and digital-based jobs that do not require a four-year degree are growing 2.5 times faster than other types of jobs and offer 18% higher wages. Currently Google employs over 7,000 New Yorkers, and New York is home to the second largest Google office worldwide.
“The tech industry is booming here in Queens, but businesses often struggle to identify trained workers to fill open jobs,” said Maloney. “That is why Grow with Google is such an amazing resource for the borough, and our entire city. The skills and job training workshops Google is providing will help people develop the knowledge and experience today’s businesses desperately need. The partnership between Goodwill, the largest workforce development organization in the United States, and Google is a match made in heaven – Goodwill provides people who want training and Google helps them learn skills that are in high demand in our tech hubs.”
Avella Wants to Combat Illegal Brothels with Task Force
State Sen. Tony Avella (D-College Point, Whitestone, Bayside, Flushing, Jamaica Estates, Fresh Meadows, Bellerose, Floral Park, Jamaica, Douglaston, Little Neck, Auburndale, Kissena Park, Briarwood) this week sent a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill, and Queens District Attorney Richard Brown regarding the proliferation of illegal spas/brothels that are proliferating Avella’s district in Northeast Queens.
In the letter, Avella advocates for the creation of a multiagency task force to combat the growing problem.
“I receive multiple reports each week from constituents in my district with a new location of a possible spa’brothel. While I always contact the local police precinct, and appreciate the work they do to try to shut them down. I believe this issue needs a more multifaceted approach. I believe a multiagency task force must be established to combat this growing problem from multiple agencies at once,” he wrote.
Katz To Address Queens Chamber Of Commerce & Borough Cabinet
Queens Borough President Melinda Katz (D) today will deliver the keynote address at the annual Queens Chamber of Commerce breakfast before an audience that will include members of the Queens Borough Cabinet and business and community leaders from across the borough.
Katz chairs the Queens Borough Cabinet under the New York City Charter. It is comprised of the district managers of each community board in the borough and representatives from city agencies. It focuses on city service delivery and agency responsiveness across the borough and hears presentations on these issues from city officials and others.
The Queens Chamber of Commerce fosters economic growth and prosperity in the most diverse community in the country by promoting the interests of business through advocacy, networking and education.
The event is slated for 9 a.m. today, Feb. 6 at Antun’s, 96-43 Springfield Boulevard in Queens Village.
Meng Hails Walmart For Pulling “China Boy” Costume
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Bayside, Flushing, Forest Hills, Rego Park, Fresh Meadows, Glendale, Kew Gardens, Maspeth) yesterday lauded Walmart for pulling its Kids “China Boy” Costume.
“I am glad that Walmart did the right thing and pulled a third-party seller’s Kids ‘China Boy’ Costume from its website after I contacted the company to express my disappointment about it.
Meng said using the words ‘China Boy,’ and displaying a photo of the costume on what appears to be a Caucasian child whose eyes were drawn to look Asian, was offensive and disrespectful to the Asian American community, and it reinforced the negative and racial stereotypes of Asian Americans.
“I hope that the retail giant will be more careful in the future,” she said.
