Dear John,
First things first, I hope everyone heading back to school had an easy week and is looking forward to a semester of learning and fun. I’ll be planning some school visits this fall so look out for your Council Member in the classroom very soon!
- Participatory Budgeting is back and better than ever! Read more about our climate justice themed cycle below and be sure to sign up to attend one of our neighborhood assemblies.
- No MPX update because numbers have dropped significantly.
- The new Omicron booster has hit pharmacy shelves, get yours today!
COVID-19
Big news on the COVID-19 front this week is that new boosters have hit pharmacy shelves! Both Moderna and Pfizer have put out updated booster shots that provide increased protections about the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants. While Health & Hospitals haven’t received their updated shots, many pharmacies are already offering the new booster. As we prepare for likely another fall and winter surge, it is critical you sign up to get your new booster as soon as possible.
A few notes on eligibility. Everyone 18 and up is eligible for both Moderna and Pfizer boosters two months after completing their primary series of shots (i.e., the first two vaccine shots), but 12-18-year-olds can only receive Pfizer at this time. Additionally, you should hold off scheduling your new booster if you’ve had COVID-19 within the last three months.
Participatory Budgeting Cycle 12
This fall marks the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, the devastating superstorm that, over the course of 48 hours, left hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers without power, and with limited access to food, drinking water, healthcare, and critical services. 44 New Yorkers died, and our City was left with a staggering $19 billion dollars in damages.
10 years later, governments around the world continue to fail to rise to the challenges of environmental collapse and the consequences of the climate crisis. It is our most vulnerable community members, those who lack adequate representation and who have contributed the least to global climate emissions, who bear the brunt of climate change. In Pakistan, catastrophic floods have displaced 33 million people and have damaged 90% of the nation’s crops, in Jackson, Mississippi,150,000 people are still without safe and reliable drinking water, and the west coast is suffering from yet another historic heat wave. The climate crisis on every level is interlocked with class, race, and gender, and systemic injustices. Our moment demands immediate action.
This year, we’re dedicating Participatory Budgeting Cycle 12 to Climate Justice. Our office will commit $1.5 million to neighborhood climate and environmental projects, proposed, vetted, and voted on by you and your neighbors!
Why are we doing this? The climate crisis affects everyone every single day and we need a community-led response. Our resources and our future belong to all of us, and Participatory Budgeting gives our community the opportunity to make direct decisions around ecological and social transformation and turn discourse into action. Climate-themed Participatory Budgeting is nothing new; check out stories from Montreal, Lisbon, Indonesia, and Scotland on how local communities all over the world are bringing together climate justice and democracy to heal our planet.
From September to October, we will hold idea generation by hosting several Neighborhood Assemblies. At these community events, you will learn about local climate issues in District 39, meet neighbors, and participate in group brainstorming to share ideas on how to address green issues locally. Our climate justice framework encourages neighbors to think about projects addressing the focus areas of food, water, heat, inclusive living environments, immigrant justice, and environmental education. We want to know how your school can become greener, how to support green educational initiatives, which bus stops or street corners are the most heat-stressed, and so much more. RSVP to let us know you are coming!
You can also submit an idea for a climate-themed project in your neighborhood between September 12th and October 31st online at our online Ideas Map.
We will be having Neighborhood Assemblies at the following times and locations. Please RSVP to join here.
- Kicking off PB will be a Science Townhall on 9/21 from 6:30-7:30 on Zoom
- Park Slope Library: Saturday, Sept 24th, 2:00 - 4:00 pm
- Carroll Gardens Library: Tuesday, October 11th 6:00pm - 8:00pm
- Kensington/Windsor Terrace Library: Wednesday, October 12th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm
- Zoom: Monday, October 17th, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Sign up to volunteer for Participatory Budgeting! Helping set up events, facilitate small group discussions, and get out the vote. Participatory Budgeting isn’t your thing? You can sign-up here to be connected with general office volunteering opportunities.
Community Bulletin
- Heads Up on some construction in the district! Through 11/18, there is ongoing construction for a new trunk water main on 6th Avenue between Park Place and Sterling Place.
- There will be no parking on both sides of the street on 6th Avenue from Park Place to Sterling Place.
- After work hours, the block will be open for thru traffic.
- Sidewalk access will remain open at all times.
- 9/19 kicks off Climate Week in NYC! Mark your calendars because our office is planning a host of interesting and engaging programming for community members of all ages. More details to come next week!
- An event so nice, we’re doing it twice. Look out because on 9/17, we’re hosting our second Sanitation Station! Drop by the 4th Street Plaza from 9 AM - 1 PM for the DSNY Shredding Truck, Compost Give-Away, Touch-a-Truck, and E-waste Drop-off - all hosted by 5th Avenue BID.
- Join the Sanitation Foundation and the NYC Department of Sanitation for a free webinar on 9/13 (6-8 PM ET), where they will walk you through everything you need to know to lead your own community litter cleanup. Register To Attend!
- If you own a home that serves as their primary residence and your household income is $250,000 or less, you may be eligible for a property tax rebate! More information on this rebate at www.nyc.gov/propertytaxrebate. Homeowners with questions about the rebates can contact the Department of Finance via their online customer service portal, www.nyc.gov/dofcustomerservice or call 311.
- Grab your tickets for a night of Latinx empowerment and jajajaing to stand up comedy with Mixteca at their benefit on Wednesday, 10/5 at 7 PM at The Bell House!
- Bring in Fall with Lalo-palooza in the Park, a free family-friendly festival of music, crafts, and arts on Saturday mornings through the end of October at Old Stone House.
- The National PTA invites applications from local PTAs for local efforts for K-12 students, families, and communities to participate in educational activities that are engaging, inspiring, and fun. PTAs can apply for $1,000 or $2,500 in program funding generally used to cover the cost of custodial services, food, transportation, and translation services to ensure all families can participate.
- The Y is offering FREE lifeguard training and certification this fall, including at the Prospect Park Y. Pre-tests are required for this opportunity and are currently underway—in order to qualify for the first fall session. Experienced swimmers should see https://ymcanyc.org/ymca-lifeguard-training-certification for details and scheduling. If you have any questions, please contact Sharon Levy at [email protected].
- Applications for Dancewave's 2022-2023 Company Program are now open for youth dancers and 100% tuition-free access is available More information about this program can be found by clicking here.
In Solidarity,
Shahana
P.S. This morning I talked with WNYC reporter Brigid Bergen for her new series - "A People's Guide To Power." We discussed the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks and how that event served as a catalyst for my journey into community organizing. Give it a listen!
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