Brewer to Speak at Town Hall Meeting on Digital Divide
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer (D) will be speaking tomorrow at a virtual town hall entitled “Bridging the Digital Divide During COVID-19”.
At the meeting, Brewer and four other panelists will be discussing solutions to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to computers and the internet during the COVID-19 crisis. Brewer’s office is hosting the event alongside Manhattan’s Community Board 11 and Columbia University.
The meeting will take place tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at neighbors.columbia.edu/digitaldivide.
Maloney, Nadler, Pressley, Cooper Call for Financial Assistance to Art Industry
Yesterday, U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens), Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn), Jim Cooper (D-TN) and Ayanna Pressley (D-OH) called on Congress to include funding for artistic and cultural institutions in the fourth COVID-19 relief package.
In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the representatives argued that the arts and humanities constitute “an integral part of American life”, and cannot be neglected. Since the implementation of social distancing guidelines, institutions like museums, concert halls and libraries have suffered greatly.
“By providing additional emergency funding for the arts and cultural center, we can enable our nation’s museums, libraries, theaters, performance halls, arts programs and cultural institutions to outlast this pandemic and continue their invaluable roles in preserving American art, history, and culture,” reads the letter.
Hoylman to Co-Host LGBTQ Town Hall
Tomorrow, State Senator Brad Hoylman (D-Chelsea, Midtown) will be hosting a national LGBTQ town hall alongside Senator Scott Wiener (D-CA).
The meeting will cover how the COVID-19 crisis has impacted the LGBTQ community nationwide. Alongside Hoylman and Wiener, the meeting will also see appearances from Governor Jared Polis (D-CO); Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-CA); and U.S. Reps. Julie Johnson (D-TX) and Malcolm Kenyatta (D-PA).
The event will take place tomorrow at 6 p.m. To RSVP, click here.
James Responds to Barr’s Threat to “Monitor” States
New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) released a statement yesterday after U.S. Attorney General William Barr (R) released a memo threatening to “monitor” states over their coronavirus response.
In a memo released the previous day, Barr said he would be “on the lookout” for states issuing directives that violate the civil liberties of their citizens.
“Despite the Trump Administration’s failure to do so, states are able to protect constitutional rights and enact policies to curb the spread of the coronavirus simultaneously,” said James. “The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is clear that ‘the powers not delegated to the’ federal government shall be ‘reserved to the States.’ Make no mistake: U.S. Attorney General Barr is not the only one prepared to take legal action to guard the Constitution. My office will fight every day to defend it and the rights it affords the great State of New York.”
