Miller Launches Week-Long Celebration of Black Lives
Councilmember I. Daneek Miller (D-Jamaica) launched a week-long celebration of black lives in Downtown Jamaica, following the painting of the Black Lives Matter mural and street co-naming on Thursday and Friday.
Miller was instrumental in securing the location for the mural and saw the resulting street closure as an opportunity to use it as a meeting point for conversation, enrichment, and resources for the community.
“Standing on the shoulders of those who have come before us, we’ve fought for both social and economic justice and the respect and dignity of black lives. The Black Lives Matter mural will serve as a visual representation of all we have done and what we still have yet to do as a community, and we are grateful for the opportunity to bring this to Downtown Jamaica, a vibrant hub of arts and culture in Southeast Queens,” said Miller. “The week’s events seek to highlight the richness of Southeast Queens, while also serving as an opportunity to gather and do the critical work of discussing how we can collectively better our community.”
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Southeast Queens and other communities of color suffered the most impact from the virus. The pandemic laid bare the impact of systemic racism on our community, from the lack of investment in critical healthcare infrastructure to pervasive issues of food insecurity and access to health resources. Black Lives Matter every day, and the mural painting and subsequent series of events is a representation of the work we do each day to support one another and strengthen our community.
The events are scheduled for August 2-7th, beginning with a Gospel Day on Sunday and culminating on Millennial Day on Friday.
Monday, August 3: Youth Day, featuring activities for families, and information on educational enrichment opportunities.
Tuesday, August 4: Health Day, featuring community health and nutrition experts, mental health experts, COVID-19 testing, and the Planned Parenthood mobile van.
Wednesday, August 5: Block Party for Peace, featuring King of Kings Foundation and Video Music Box Ralph Mc Daniel.
Thursday, August 6: Community Day hosted by Dr. Bob Lee of WBLS
Friday, August 7: Millennial Day, featuring live performances from talented young musical performers and a youth rally.
There will be 2020 Census representatives onsite each day.
Koo Lauds No-Penalty Sign Inspections
Councilmember Peter Koo (D-Downtown Flushing, Murray Hill, Queensboro Hill) praised the de Blasio Administration’s announcement last week about the start of a new No-Penalty Business Accessory Sign Inspection Program and the return of the annual No-Penalty Deck and Porch and Retaining Wall Inspection Programs.
“Our small businesses were hit hard by sign fees last year and the pandemic has only made life harder for small business owners. This free, no-penalty inspection program is a rare and great example of the kind of small business assistance our communities need from the city during these tough times,” said Koo.
These initiatives allow small business owners and homeowners to obtain free inspections of the relevant structures, without risk of penalty, to determine if they comply with City safety regulations. Rather than penalize small businesses and homeowners, these initiatives will help New Yorkers comply with the regulations and proactively maintain their properties, saving them time and money by fixing potential problems before they occur.
Addabo Releases Statement on Environmental Bond Act
State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Glendale, Middle Village, Maspeth and parts of South Ozone Park, Ridgewood, Woodside and The Rockaways) released a statement about the Environmental Bond Act:
“The decision to postpone a vote on the Restore Mother Nature Environmental Bond Act could have an adverse effect on many regions across the state. This important piece of legislation, being victimized by the COVID-19 pandemic, would have helped protect communities vulnerable to flooding and better prepare New York for the impacts of climate change,” said Addabbo. “In the middle of hurricane season, it is hard not to think about 2012 when Superstorm Sandy made landfall in New York and devastated the Rockaway peninsula, Broad Channel, Howard Beach, Hamilton Beach and other parts of my district, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage, displacing hundreds of residents and tragic fatalities. I fully comprehend the negative impact the Coronavirus has had on our state’s economy this year and beyond, which is why I believe to credibly address environmental issues, as well as other critical state services, the dire need for new, realistic revenue in our the state, such as with mobile sports betting, is necessary to raise substantial, consistent funding that could be used to protect and assist vital initiatives in New York.”
