Rajkumar presents Fourth Annual Queens Rockfest
Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Queens) is proud to present the Fourth Annual Queens Rockfest.
The brainchild of Queens musician George Wasek, Queens Rockfest is a celebration of the finest musical artists whose careers began in the World’s Borough.
By sponsoring this event, Rajkumar continues her record of supporting the arts in Queens. She has previously sponsored the Pizza Dance Foundation Festival, co-sponsored the Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration, and most notably transformed her office into an art gallery showcasing the work of local artists.
“Queens is the cultural epicenter of New York,” said Rajkumar. “Whether it is the brilliant Rolling Stones covers at Queens Rockfest, or the dazzling paintings by artists in the Woodhaven Art Circle, Queens is a hotbed of the arts. I am proud to once again showcase the talented and emerging artists of Queens, right here in the heart of my district at the Forest Park Bandshell.”
“We are delighted to partner again with Assemblywoman Rajkumar, the premier patron of the arts in Queens,” said Wasek. “As the hometown of Simon and Garfunkel, the Ramones, and Leslie West, Queens is easily the rockingest borough. On July 9th, we will prove it once again with the Queens Rockfest, and we look forward to rocking out with Assemblywoman Rajkumar for many years to come.”
The event is slated for 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, July 9 at the Forest Park Bandshell, Forest Park Drive, Woodhaven. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit queensrockfest.com. All proceeds from the event will go to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Dinowitz Chairs Hearing On Antisemitism On College Campuses
City Council Member Eric Dinowitz (D-Bronx) on Friday held an oversight hearing to address anti-semitism on College Campuses as a response to the increasing violent and bias incidents towards Jewish New Yorkers, including the rise of discriminatory acts on college campuses in New York.
Witnesses testified during the hearing of anti-semitic incidents and that students’ voices are not being heard, and CUNY is not addressing discriminatory and violent acts appropriately. In addition, CUNY came unprepared with the requested information, including how many complaints they received on anti-semitic acts and data on disciplinary action.
Witnesses also stated that it has taken far more than the 60 days CUNY testified it should take to address complaints of discrimination. Finally, the academic institution does not have a clear definition of anti-semitism in their harassment policy. Currently, discrimination is addressed with a general framework for harrasment that does not include what anti-semitism entails.
“I led this hearing to look for long-term solutions that our city’s institutions of higher learning can and will implement to protect Jewish students,” says Dinowitz, chair of the Council’s Jewish Caucus. “Anti Jewish hate crimes make up the plurality of hate crimes in our city, and state, and are sharply on the rise. The environment that allows for these crimes to occur needs to be addressed in a multitude of ways, and that includes at our institutions of higher learning.
“Currently, there is no systematic way to track this increase and I am strongly urging CUNY to implement this, which is the heart of my resolution, Reso 238. Our colleges and universities must be aware of the challenges and hatred the Jewish community is faced with, and student testimonies made it incredibly clear that Jewish students do not feel safe on these campuses. We identified a gap in training given to CUNY staff and I am pleased that they made explicit commitments during the hearing to send an accounting of the DEI training and to add training on anti-semitism to the entire administrative staff and professional educators.”
Ung celebrates Flushing High School’s PSAL baseball championship
City Council Member Sandra Ung last Friday presented City Council certificates to members of the Flushing High School baseball team in recognition of their undefeated season and PSAL championship, the school’s first since 1948.
“And I was happy to be able to share that I secured $500,000 in the city budget to renovate Leavitt Field, where the presentation took place and where the baseball team practices and plays its home games. The money will be used to repair the turf fields, fix several sinkholes, address ponding issues, and replace portions of the fence,” said Ung.
“The field is not only used by the athletic teams from the three high schools inside the Flushing High building, but also local sports leagues and community groups, so the funding will benefit more than just the students.
“Congratulations to coaches Joe Gerloven and Antonio Bausone, the rest of their coaching staff, and the players on bringing a title to Flushing!”
Addabbo brings free prostate cancer testing event to Glendale
Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Queens) this month is partnering with Mount Sinai to bring the hospital’s free prostate cancer screening Mobile Unit into the community.
This free screening will be open for men aged 45 and older who have never been previously diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer, whether or not they have health insurance.
“As men age it is vitally important that they take care of their prostate health through annual exams because if something is wrong, it is essential to catch prostate cancer early,” Addabbo said. “Prostate cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the U.S. and early detection is key to combating this illness. After the pandemic our previous provider of prostate cancer screenings went out of business so it took us some time to bring this service back to the community. I want to thank Mount Sinai and Atlas Park for their partnership in this event and for working with my team to set up this important free health screening for men across the district.”
While registration for this event is encouraged, walk-ups will be accommodated on the day of the event. Those who register with Addabbo’s office will need to provide their name, age, date of birth, address and phone number. On the day of screening patients will be asked for their government-issued ID and insurance card, if they have one.
Mount Sinai’s Robert F. Smith Prostate Cancer Screening Mobile Unit will be set up from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, July 24 at The Shops at Atlas Park, 8000 Cooper Avenue in Glendale. To register for your free PSA blood test, contact Addabbo’s office at 718-738-1111.
