How Can We Fight Prejudice in Our Communities?

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* Chag Pesach Sameach to all celebrating Passover! I look forward to joining Seders in the district.
* Earth Day is Monday 4/21! Get out and enjoy some Mother Nature!
* Saturday volunteers needed: help distribute free produce, including fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables to public housing residents at Gowanus Houses, Wyckoff Gardens, and Warren Street Houses. We need volunteers to unload, bag, and distribute produce every other Saturday morning starting May 6th. Sign up here ([link removed]) for a shift. More questions? Email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
* CHiPS volunteers needed: we need your help with our CHiPS food distribution on May 3rd at Kensington Plaza – sign up here ([link removed]) .
* We’ve signed a lease for our new office and will be available for visits in May. In the meantime, we are unable to offer in-person appointments with extremely limited exceptions. If you need help, call us at (718) 499-1090 or send us an email at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

Our Goals for the Task Force to Combat Hate

At the start of my second term, Speaker Adrienne Adams appointed me and Council Member Erik Dinowitz co-chairs of the first-of-its-kind Task Force to Combat Hate. I am honored to be trusted by our Speaker and my colleagues with the responsibility to foster belonging, inclusivity, and compassion. The Task Force was created with the City Council’s recommitment to prioritizing the safety of every New Yorker and doing so while building bridges across communities. Council Member Dinowitz, Task Force members Council Members Linda Lee, Shekar Krishnan, Nantasha Williams, and Alexa Avilés, and I are taking an active listening approach and will invite New Yorkers from all walks of life to City Hall to engage in open and meaningful conversations about their experiences with incidents of hate and bias, the impacts, where they’ve seeked out help and support services, and what would contribute to making NYC the safest place to call home. Our Task Force is also interested in hosting oversight hearings,
incubating policy solutions, and advocating for budget priorities building off of these conversations. At its core, this Task Force is about fostering understanding and empathy in the midst of virulent divisiveness, while also uplifting the many ways our communities are and have been working together to protect one another.

Arab-American Heritage Month Roundtable Discussion

We kicked off the Task Force with an Arab-American Heritage Month roundtable discussion with Arab-American NYC high school students, including students from District 39 schools. This dialogue was poignant and special, especially because it was the students’ first time visiting City Hall! Council Member Dinowitz and I focused on hearing from them about what representation means to them in the educational curriculum and teaching, the availability of and access to culturally competent mental health services in their schools, digital literacy and how they use social media, and community building programming and extracurricular activities on- and off-campus that they participate in to find mentors and foster belonging and friendships.

During this conversation, we also heard harrowing stories of students experiencing bias and targeted harassment. A takeaway is that the Department of Education and schools overall need to do more so students know and feel safe to report incidents of discrimination or harassment. One of the bright spots many students shared with us is that sports programming in their schools are a nurturing and effective outlet for them to build camaraderie with their peers while allowing them to build a stronger sense of self. They want more activities that encourage teamwork!

What’s Next for the Task Force?

As we move forward, our Task Force is committed to the ongoing dialogue, ensuring that the diverse voices in our community are brought to City Hall. Looking ahead to May, which is both Jewish-American Heritage Month and Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are excited to host student roundtable discussions tailored to these communities. In June we will commemorate Pride Month. These gatherings will provide an invaluable opportunity to meet with youth and hear from them directly about their priorities for our City. By delving into their unique perspectives, challenges, and aspirations, we hope to identify strategies to support them in and outside of their school communities. I look forward to sharing more updates about the Task Force in the coming weeks!

Council Members Shahana, Erik, Linda, and Shekar with Arab-American students at City Hall.

Community Bulletin
* The Green-Wood Cemetery is hosting Latin Beats in Bloom on Saturday, April 27th, from 5-8 PM – sign up here ([link removed]) (use code “50OFF” for a discount!).
* Forth on Fourth Avenue (FOFA), the local community group that has been advocating for a safer, cleaner, greener, and more vibrant 4th Ave, wants to know what you think of Fourth Avenue – survey here ([link removed]) .
* South Brooklyn Sanctuary is offering free legal help for TPS applications and Work Authorization permits. Sign up for their resources in Arabic ([link removed]) , French ([link removed]) , and Spanish ([link removed]) .
* The NYCRuns 2024 Brooklyn Half-Marathon on Sunday 4/28 from McCarren Park to Prospect Park – see here ([link removed]) for more details.
* As the Summer and hot weather approaches, did you know the City can offer assistance in the purchase of a cooling system? The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) can help eligible New Yorkers heat and cool their homes – learn more and determine your eligibility here ([link removed]) !

In Solidarity,

Shahana

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