Dear John
A Legislative Roundup
Today marks the first of our three end-of-year and end-of-term reflections! It’s wild how fast these past two years have flown by, but I’ll save my thoughts on how time passes for our final reflection. I want to start by recapping some of my proudest achievements from City Hall, talking through all the bills we’ve passed and pieces of legislation we’re still working hard to move. Overall, I’ve introduced 32 bills, passed 9, and cosponsored over 834 pieces of legislation introduced by my colleagues. If this seems like a lot, it's because it is! I’m proud to say I was one of the busiest Council Members this term, with only a few of my colleagues passing more bills than me (big shout out to our Legislative & Budget Director Alex Liao for his tireless dedication to this work). While the work continues into next year, here are some of the highlights.
Universal Residential Composting
Before my term started, only a select few community boards had access to curbside composting. Thanks to Local Law 85 of 2023, the entire City will have its organic waste collected by the end of 2024. When we get full participation, our City will be able to cut our carbon footprint by a third and divert millions of pounds of waste away from landfills, all while creating compost for our farmers! I was also proud to be able to articulate the gravity of this legislation in an op-ed with Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, author of one of my favorite books, Green Deen, and one of my personal heroes. Ibrahim sadly passed away just a few weeks after the bill’s passage. May his memory be a blessing, and may we all continue his vision for a greener future.
Strengthening Abortion Rights
In the aftermath of the disastrous Dobbs decision, I knew that New York couldn’t just sit on the sidelines while reproductive rights were under attack. In response, I introduced and passed legislation to ensure abortion access was strengthened in our City. Local Law 75 of 2022 created a private right to action for anyone who obtains critical reproductive care in our City but is prosecuted with legal action in their home state. Local Law 76 of 2022 also created a public outreach campaign to ensure everyone in the five boroughs, as well as people in anti-choice states across the country, understood their rights to safe abortion in our City. We still have a long way to go to protect critical reproductive rights, but I promise we’re just getting started.
Immigrant Worker Bill of Rights
On 11/2, the City Council passed Local Law 161 of 2023 to create a first-in-the-nation Immigrant Workers Bill of Rights. My work as Immigration Committee Chair this term has been deeply meaningful to me, and I was proud to partner with the Central Labor Council to help get this legislation over the finish line. Local Law 161 will mandate our City to publish a comprehensive list of rights and rules to help protect immigrant workers, regardless of citizenship status. That document must be given to workers on their first day on the job. This new law will go a long way to ensure our immigrant neighbors know their rights and fight back against exploitation.
Making Our Homes Safer
The first bill I passed as your Council Member was responding to the horrific Twin Parks fire in the Bronx. Local Law 64 of 2022 will address one of the main causes of one of our City’s worst fires in recent memory. My bill outlaws the sale of unsafe and unregulated space heaters to ensure that these dangerous appliances are no longer available in our City.
Lupus Awareness Month
As someone who has struggled with Lupus most of my life, I was proud to establish May as Lupus Awareness Month. Together with Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Resolution 550 passed in April, setting May as our City’s Lupus Awareness Month. You can read my op-ed to learn more about what this resolution means to me, and be sure to share around my Instagram PSA so you know the signs of Lupus as well!
Combating Antisemitism
I don’t need to tell anyone that combating antisemitism needs to be a priority in our City, even before the tragic attack in Israel on October 7th. Earlier this year, I was proud to introduce Intro 1171 to mandate our City’s first-ever public outreach campaign to combat antisemitism. This bill would put real money and teeth behind raising awareness about antisemitism in our City and combating it with proven outreach methods. I’ve been proud to have the support of so many Jewish organizations in our community, and across this City, in crafting this bill and will continue to push for a hearing in the new year.
Banning Biometric Surveillance
Growing up as a Muslim in New York City after 9/11, I’m all too familiar with the expansive nature of the surveillance state and the power it wields. The effort to claw back its extensive power and curb the use of new technology is ever-constant, and I’m proud to be part of it. Earlier this year, I introduced Intro 1014 to ban the use of facial recognition technology, also known as biometric surveillance, in public spaces. Curtailing this technology is essential to reigning in its use by private businesses to criminalize and harass New Yorkers.
South Asian Heritage Month
As the first of two South Asians ever elected to the City Council, I’m especially honored for the South Asian community in NYC to feel seen and represented. I was proud to introduce Reso 836 with Council Member Shekar Krishnan to create South Asian Heritage Month! From Afghanistan to Bangladesh, NYC’s South Asian community is diverse and sprawling across the five boroughs. I’m thrilled to be able to deliver this honor to our community to celebrate our beautiful heritage and history, and will continue to push for its passage.
Ensuring Dignity for Our Newest Neighbors
Last but not least is Intro 1212, which is my bill to ban the Mayor’s limits on shelter stays for asylum seekers. This community knows I have been fighting tooth and nail since the first asylum seekers arrived in our City to ensure they’ve received a dignified welcome. Despite the Mayor’s many harmful policies, I have not backed down and have fought with every tool at my disposal. The Mayor’s new directives to place limits on shelter stays for asylum seekers, even those with small children, is not only shameful but immoral. My legislation would ban these chaotic, shortsighted policies and ensure our City focuses on providing housing support to our newest neighbors, not serving them eviction notices.
Community Bulletin
RSVP for the Gowanus Oversight Task Force Public Meeting on 12/14 from 6-8 PM at PS 133! The City has committed $450 million in total investments to Gowanus. The task force has invited NYC Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA), and NYC Small Business Services (SBS) to present the status of their commitments to NYCHA, affordable housing, small business support, and workforce training for residents. Your participation and expertise is vital to making a positive impact in Gowanus.
New York City’s Animal Care Center is holding another mobile adoption event in our community! Drop by Petco Unleashed on 7th Avenue (81 7th Ave) on 12/16 from 12-4 PM to adopt a new furry friend.
Join Prospect Park Alliance’s ReImagine Lefferts for a presentation on new research into the lives, resistance, and resilience of enslaved Africans at Lefferts Historic House on 12/16 from 11AM-1 PM. Learn how the museum uses hard-to-find archival records to create biographical profiles of Africans enslaved at the site that will feature prominently in upcoming exhibits and programming at Lefferts Historic House.
Camp Friendship is still collecting toys for their annual toy drive. Drop-offs are on Fridays (6-7:30 PM) and Saturdays (9-12:30 PM) at 339 8th Street in Park Slope. Please bring new unwrapped gifts to support our neighbors in need this holiday season. Be sure to bring in your donations before the giveaway on 12/17!
The New York Academy of Sciences is currently accepting applications for its Junior Academy program! Each year, the academy selects an international cohort of passionate high school students (ages 13-17) to become part of The Junior Academy, who join a dynamic global network of like-minded peers and mentors. Each team can work with a STEM professional who serves as a mentor for the duration of the 10-week challenge period. Their mentors are all highly motivated STEM leaders from academia, industry, and research. Applications close on 12/18!
If you were affected by flooding this past September, you can now apply for low-interest disaster loans from the US Small Business Administration. These loans are made available for those whose homes and/or businesses were damaged due to flooding. The filing deadline to submit applications is 2/2/24 for physical damage, and 9/4/24 for economic injury.
Although winter is right around the corner, NYC Parks is excited to announce their recruitment drive for lifeguards for our 2024 beach and pool season! Parks is looking for dedicated, mission-driven individuals to play a critical role in keeping a close watch on our pools and beaches, making summer happen for millions of New Yorkers. More information about requirements and how to apply is available on the Parks website.
In Solidarity,
Shahana
