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Dear John,
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* Help build a better and more inclusive borough and apply ([link removed]) to join your local Community Board! It’s the last weekend to apply before the application deadline on 2/19.
* Our team is currently searching for a new office in our updated district lines! For the time being, we are unable to offer in-person appointments with extremely limited exceptions. If you need help, call us at (718) 499-1090 or email us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

The History of Slavery In District 39

In honor of Black History Month, I wanted to take a brief moment to discuss the vestige of slavery in our community. While District 39 is one of the most progressive areas in the nation, it hasn’t always been that way. For as long as I can remember, this community has prided itself on being inclusive, forward-thinking, and compassionate. But to do this well, we must understand our history and reckon with our place in it.

For those that may not know, by 1790, about a third of all Brooklyn residents were Black and nearly all were enslaved. In contrast, that number was 15% about a hundred years prior. While slavery declined in most Northern cities after the American Revolution, the number of enslaved people remained high in Kings County due to the county's mostly agrarian economy. Into the 19th century, at least 60% of white Brooklynites were slave owners.

Given the prevalence of slavery in Brooklyn, it’s no surprise that the legacy of our nation’s horrible past is still seen today. In our district and nearby, Bergen Street, Boerum Place, and Lefferts Place are all named after slaveholders. There are dozens more in our community (like Sands, Hicks, Suydam, and Van Dyke to name a few) and across the borough. My team and I are looking into how we can rename these streets to ensure landmarked spaces in our community honor New Yorkers of note, not those with a slave-owning past.

In addition to named streets, many slave-owning families directly contributed to building landmarks in our community. Most notably, the beautiful stained glass windows at Old First Reformed Church were donated ([link removed]) by families who inherited their exorbitant wealth from slavery decades prior. The Church’s Reconciliation and Racial Justice working group found that most of the Church’s wealth came from wealth built on the labor of enslaved people and passed down by slaveholders over generations. Rather than take down these windows, the Church maintains them as a tangible reminder of their history, as well as a way to honor their commitments to anti-racism. The Church has made real efforts to recognize the over 430 enslaved New Yorkers who were held by ancestors of the donors and will continue to make unearthing this complicated but important history a part of their work.

Last but not least are the monuments of our borough's history that we can’t see. While streets and buildings bear the names of slaveholders and serve as an ever-present reminder of our history, slavery was widespread across Brooklyn, and some places of note aren’t marked. An investigation ([link removed]) spurred by a 19th-century diary found that there is likely an unmarked burial ground for dozens of enslaved New Yorkers in Gowanus. While this site has been chosen to build a new Pre-K building, the State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation is doing a thorough review of the site to see if there are human remains. My office is in close contact with our State partners to ensure that if this diary is correct, the site is appropriately marked, and our City honors the New Yorkers and the history buried there.

Community Bulletin
* 3-K and Pre-K applications are now open for Fall 2024 and are due 3/1! You can apply in one of three ways: online with MySchools.nyc ([link removed]) , over the phone at 718-935-2009 Monday-Friday between 8 AM and 6 PM, or by contacting a Family Welcome Center ([link removed]) . If you have questions about the process or need help applying, please contact our office at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
* The Summer Youth Employment Program application ([link removed]*3D&hmac=WIZw5roWaMRYrAm2i5gwcGQeNs3RuqPXLeYa9QWwqFg=&emci=edaf28b9-cabb-ee11-b660-002248223197&emdi=36edf558-5cbc-ee11-b660-002248223197&ceid=13812443__;JQ!!Pe07lN5AjA!TXIW5w_GzCNSpKqIcTh02U2avXErMyaoEZbIb_vlKPGPnSP-xhv5gxnUtAD3wN5ZsUu8CMWlRnB8CdLEt_8z-sCQ3kxcfKGXRgCB065H$) is open! This summer, young New Yorkers, ages 14 to 24, can get six weeks of paid work experience in a variety of relevant fields. The application closes on 3/1, so make sure to apply before then.
* Starting 3/1, all businesses must use bins with secure lids when setting out trash. This is an important step in keeping our streets clean! All trash must be in a secured bin when set out on the curb. This requirement doesn't apply if your trash is collected from a loading dock. Check out the DSNY website ([link removed]) for questions and more information.
* It’s time to renew your property tax exemptions! If you have the Senior Citizen Homeowners’ Exemption (SCHE), the Disabled Homeowners’ Exemption (DHE), or the Clergy exemption, the deadline to submit renewal applications is 3/15. Property owners who must renew their benefits have received letters in the mail. Please review the eligibility requirements for SCHE
([link removed]) , DHE
([link removed]) , and other benefits
([link removed]) online before submitting your forms.
* Don’t wait until 4/15 to file your taxes! NYC Free Tax Prep offers a variety of free tax prep options, including in-person, virtual, and drop-off options. For more information, contact 311 or visit nyc.gov/TaxPrep.
* The Department of Environmental Protection invites students in 2nd through 12th grades to create original art and poetry for their 38th annual Water Resources Art & Poetry Contest. To learn more about the Art and Poetry Contest, please visit DEP’s website ([link removed]) or contact [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

In Solidarity,

Shahana

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