Dear John
Before we kick things off, there's been a noticeable spike in COVID-19 cases in our community, so I want to encourage everyone to keep getting tested regularly, and if you haven't already, get your booster shot. Being up to date on your vaccinations is the best way to protect against infection and severe illness. Less than 40% of our neighbors have gotten their booster, so please, head over to a pharmacy or city-run site soon to help us keep our community safe and healthy.
Legislative Update
Next Thursday 4/28 is our eighth Stated City Council meeting of the year! The Stated meetings are the full meetings of the Council where legislation is introduced and passed. They happen twice a month (but only once during July and August), and they have been busy for two big reasons. The first is that with so many new members, bills from old members have to be claimed and are usually quickly reintroduced and the second is that with so many new members, we also have a ton of new ideas, and so there has been a massive wave of legislative requests. I've either introduced and/or cosponsored 76 pieces of legislation to amend the City code and 99 resolutions (a resolution is when the City Council calls on another government body to pass legislation like the State legislature or Congress) as of today on everything from establishing a fund to help survivors of domestic violence find new housing to a law that would give tenants the first right of purchase if their building went up for sale.
Now, only a handful of these bills have become law, but that is partly due to just how little time we've been in office and the length of the legislative process. Bills have to be introduced, heard at committee (where you as a member of the public can weigh in on the legislation), voted on in committee, and then come to another Stated for a vote. We use this thorough process to scrutinize and get public input on legislation, so it takes time, but all good things in government do. I hope to have some more exciting legislative news soon, so look for next week's email to learn more!
In The News
A part of my job I talk about often is talking to the press. Like any working person who now finds themselves in elected office, I wasn't trained to be a politician, so I often get nervous talking to the press. But, it's such a critical part of this work. It's essential to the transparent nature of our democracy that we have a free and vibrant press corps that can hold the government accountable and help tell the story of the important work many of us are trying to get done. I'm sure, unlike me, you don't have a Google alert set with my name, so I want to give you all a rundown of some of the press I've been doing these past few months. You can always check out our Council website, which is kept up to date with our press pieces.
- I spoke to ABC news the night of the Sunset Park shooting about what that tragic event meant to our community.
- I sat down with Ben Max and Lincoln Restler to discuss our vision for the Progressive Caucus.
- One of my favorites, I talked with Brown Girls Guide to Politics on what it was like to run as a South Asian Muslim woman and my advice for the next generation of leaders.
- I worked with Gotham Gazette to recap last month's immigration budget hearing.
- Patch covered my letter to Mayor Adams opposing the appointment of Laurie Cumbo to the Department of Cultural Affairs based on her history of deeply offensive remarks.
- Finally, I spoke with a few outlets after John Miller's brazen lie about the NYPD's well-documented Muslim surveillance program post-9/11.
COVID-19
The Omicron BA.2 uptick continues, but it seems to be settling down. This is not a steep ramp-up like we saw with the first Omicron wave, so there is some hope we will not see cases rise any further, but we need more time to see. While the City is currently at a “low” alert level, the Department of Health expects us to move to “medium” very soon (the linked website explains what that means for you). Right now, it’s more important than ever that you know where to pick up at-home testing kits, and if you need COVID-19 treatment options, you can always call 212-COVID19. This number is the City’s emergency COVID-19 hotline, so if you have a primary care provider, please try them first.
Community Bulletin
- Shall we compare thee to a summer’s day? Shakespeare jokes aside - use the discount code GOVFAM22 to get $5 tickets (regular price is $22) to the New York City Ballet’s production of A Magical Midsummer on Saturday, May 28th.
- A big thank you to all of the District 39 residents that joined our Rat Academy training this past Wednesday! If you missed it, you can catch a future training and be sure to check out some additional helpful resources for rat prevention and pest management.
- As Ramadan comes to a close, please join me for our final iftars this week! On Monday, April 25th, we’ll be having iftar at Avenue C Plaza with Arts and Democracy at 7 pm and with Brooklyn Emerge on Rugby Road and Foster Avenue on Friday, April 28th.
- Need a summer program for your kids? Enrollment for Summer Rising 2022, a free summer program for students in kindergarten to 8th grade, begins on April 25th.
- Looking to hold the NYPD accountable? The Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) is hiring for entry-level investigators. Apply today!
- The New York Law School and Immigrant Arc is hosting free 2-hour TPS and Immigration Legal Screening appointments for Afghan and Ukrainian Nationals on Friday, April 29th. Register by contacting [email protected].
- Nationally, we’re facing one of the worst blood shortages in over a decade. If you’re able to, please drop by the New York Blood Center’s blood drive this Tuesday, April 26th at the Picnic House in Prospect Park.
In Solidarity,
Shahana
|
|
|
|
|
