| Dear John,
June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate the resilience, contributions, and ongoing struggle of our LGBTQ+ communities and to recommit ourselves to the fight for liberation.
District 39 has long been central to LGBTQ+ history and organizing. In Park Slope, the Lesbian Herstory Archives has safeguarded generations of lesbian history since 1974. In 2022, I fought to help make the Archives Brooklyn's first LGBTQ landmark. In the 1990s, Transy House in Park Slope became a refuge for transgender, gender-nonconforming, and nonbinary people facing housing insecurity and discrimination. It was also home to Sylvia Rivera, the pioneering transgender activist whose legacy helped shape the modern LGBTQ+ rights movements.
Pride is also a call to action. Across the country, transgender and gender-nonconforming people are facing escalating attacks on their healthcare, safety, and dignity. Here in New York City, advocates are sounding the alarm that $65 million investment in gender-affirming care funding has yet to appear in the City’s budget proposal.
In the City Council, I remain committed to protecting LGBTQ+ New Yorkers. I authored the AFFIRM Act to strengthen protections for people traveling to NYC seeking reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare from legal attacks from red states, and I will continue fighting to ensure New York City remains a place where LGBTQ+ people can access care, live safely, and thrive.
Happy Pride Month! |
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Rentals Within Reach
As budget negotiations continue, I’m proud to support Rentals Within Reach, the Progressive Caucus budget campaign calling for $248 million to repair vacant NYCHA apartments and preserve supportive housing across our city. At a time when more than 100,000 New Yorkers are experiencing homelessness while thousands of public housing units sit empty, we must act with urgency to bring these homes back online. This investment would help more than 20,000 vulnerable New Yorkers access stable, affordable housing and critical support services—because no one should be left without a home while apartments sit vacant.
Rent-Stabilized Tenants: Testify on June 11
Are you a rent-stabilized tenant? Make your voice heard at the Rent Guidelines Board hearing on Thursday, June 11, from 7 – 10 PM at The Theater at City Tech (285 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201). The Rent Guidelines Board sets annual rent adjustments for more than one million rent-stabilized New Yorkers. Testifying at a hearing is an opportunity to share your experiences, highlight the challenges tenants face, and advocate for a rent freeze.
If you would like to testify, please complete the hearing registration form in advance. Testimony must be delivered in person, but the hearing can be viewed remotely on the Rent Guidelines Board's YouTube channel. |
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Nurse for a Day
This week, I was grateful to spend the day as an honorary nurse at Maimonides Hospital for its 10th annual Nurse for a Day program, shadowing the incredible nurses who care for our community with compassion, skill, and dedication.
On the Mother-Baby Unit, I learned more about the care nurses provide to parents and newborns and heard concerns about declining birth rates. Many pointed to New York City’s affordability crisis, the high cost of raising a family, and limited access to paid leave as challenges facing prospective parents. |
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I also toured Maimonides’ new Pediatric Emergency Department, which opened last fall and is the only freestanding Pediatric ER and Pediatric Trauma Center in Brooklyn. Nurses and staff shared that they are seeing increasing numbers of children experiencing mental health challenges, underscoring the urgent need to expand access to mental health services, universal childcare, affordable housing, and paid leave—priorities I continue to fight for in the City Council. |
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I was born at Maimonides, and its nurses have cared for me, my family, and my community for my entire life. I am thrilled that Maimonides will be joining NYC Health + Hospitals and deeply grateful to every nurse whose care, expertise, and compassion make our city healthier and stronger. |
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| | Constituent Corner
Our office recently helped a constituent successfully transition from shelter to permanent housing by resolving delays in critical rental assistance that threatened their move-in timeline.
After the constituent secured housing, they contacted our office when administrative delays put their rental assistance benefits at risk of not being processed in time. We worked directly with HRA to expedite the necessary approvals and ensure the benefits were in place before the move-in date. As a result, the constituent was able to move into their new home on schedule and begin the next chapter of their life in stable, permanent housing. |
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Community Bulletin
Join our office, Big Reuse, the D39 Tree Care Team, Field Form, and Prospect Farm to care for trees in Windsor Terrace! On Saturday, June 13 from 10 AM – 12 PM, meet at 1194 Prospect Ave (Prospect Farm Entrance). We’ll freshen up tree beds by picking up garbage, weeding, cultivating soil, and applying mulch. All supplies are provided. RSVP for our Tree Care Event. |
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The Brooklyn Pride Parade is on Saturday June 13! Beginning at 7:30 PM at 5th Avenue and Lincoln Place, the parade marches down 5th Avenue through Park Slope before ending at 8th Street. If you’ve never attended before, Brooklyn Pride is the only nighttime Pride parade in New York City and one of the most joyful and vibrant celebrations of Pride Month. It draws thousands of marchers and spectators from across the city and remains one of my favorite annual events. I’ll be marching again this year—come celebrate, support our LGBTQ+ community, and be sure to say hello! …
NYC Public Schools is launching 2-K this fall. Right now, it will only be in select neighborhoods, but will expand citywide in coming years. 2-K applications for fall 2026 are open through Friday, June 26th. Go to MySchools.NYC to find and apply to programs, or call 718-935-2009 (Monday to Friday, from 8 AM to 6 PM). If you have questions or need in-person support, visit a Family Welcome Center. |
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NYC Parks wants your input on the future of a new esplanade coming to Gowanus between 9th Street and Huntington Street. You can let the Parks Department know what features and amenities you’d like to see in the new waterfront park. Feedback will be accepted through June 19, making this a great opportunity to shape the future of Gowanus. Take NYC Parks’ Gowanus Esplanade Survey. …
Join the Gowanus Oversight Task Force and NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for a Flood Preparedness Workshop on Tuesday, June 9 from 6 – 8 PM at P.S. 133 William A. Butler School. DEP will be sharing information about flooding preparedness in Gowanus, updates on major sewer infrastructure projects, and what to expect ahead of this year’s flood season. RSVP is required to receive a flood preparedness kit, which will include items like sump pumps and flood barriers. Kits will be available while supplies last. |
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NYC Parks is hiring for their six-month Parks Opportunity Program, a workforce development program where you can receive training and career coaching, while getting paid to keep our city's parks, playgrounds, and facilities clean and green. Participants earn $19.14 per hour and receive career coaching, job readiness support and chances to earn valuable credentials—including a driver’s license, CDL, security certifications, and more—to help them build skills and prepare for future opportunities. Learn more and apply to the Parks Opportunity Program. …
Community Food Advocates is accepting applications for Youth Food Advocates, a school year internship program for high school students interested in social justice, public policy, and advocacy. Participants will have the opportunity to meet with policymakers, present at food justice events, publish a newsletter, and more, while developing leadership, research, and communication skills. The program is open to all NYC high school students, and applications will be accepted through June 15. |
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The NYC Financial Justice Hotline provides free legal information, advice, and referrals to low-income NYC residents, on a wide range of financial justice issues. Call the hotline at 212-925-4929 or fill out their online intake form for help fighting discriminatory and abusive banking practices, illegal wage garnishment, frozen bank accounts, bank fraud, predatory debt collection, unfair credit reporting, and more. Operated by New Economy Project, the hotline is open on Mondays, 4–6 PM, and Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 12 PM – 2 PM. The hotline is staffed in English and Spanish, with live interpretation available in additional languages. …
New York Blood Center has declared a blood emergency after regional blood supplies dropped to critically low levels. As summer approaches, donations are urgently needed to help hospitals meet demand for trauma care, surgeries, cancer treatments, and other lifesaving services. If you’re eligible, making a blood donation can save up to three lives. To get involved, find a blood donation center near you or host a blood drive. |
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Join Autistic Adults NYC for Autistic Pride Day on Sunday June 14, 12 – 4 PM at Abolitionist Place, 110 Willoughby Street. Come celebrate our autistic community alongside numerous autistic- and disability-led organizations sharing resources, with speeches, live readings, and musical performances from community members. …
Stay safe during extreme heat this summer! The NYC Health Department is hosting a free online presentation on heat emergency preparedness on Wednesday, August 13, 10 – 11 AM. Join using passcode wT9rS6mC. Participants will learn how to recognize signs of heat-related illness and steps they can take to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their communities. The webinar will also cover city and state cooling resources available during heat waves. …
New federal work requirements could affect your SNAP benefits. As of March 1, certain SNAP recipients classified as “Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents” must meet monthly work, job search, education, training, or volunteer requirements to maintain eligibility. OTDA has stated that many people receiving services through OPWDD may qualify for exemptions and is working with local districts to help residents maintain their benefits. If you receive SNAP and are concerned with how these changes may affect you, contact your Care Manager or local benefits office to discuss your eligibility and any available exemptions. You can find more information about SNAP and the new requirements on the OTDA website. …
Join Artichoke Dance Company for Immersive Performance Tours of Gowanus on June 13, 14 and 27 at 2 PM. These interactive events blend walking tours with live dance performances along the Gowanus Canal. Tours last about two hours and cover roughly half a mile. Sliding-scale tickets ($10-$50) are available at artichokedance.org/events. …
Small business owners can still take advantage of two World Cup directories that will be guiding attendees looking for activities in between matches:
In solidarity, Council Member Shahana |
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