Elections 2023: Irene Estrada Lays Out her Case for her City Council Run in District 13

Former Democratic female district leader for the 80th assembly district and Democratic candidate for city council in District 13, Irene Estrada, briefly broke down why she is running for the seat against incumbent, City Councilwoman Marjorie Velázquez when we spoke to her at the 25th Throggs Neck St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 12.   Estrada, whose two daughters serve with the NYPD, and who is on the clergy council of the 49th Precinct, said, “Our streets are a mess with crime.” She added, “We also need to bring back the school safety task force. They took it away after COVID.


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Group of Elected Officials Visit Rikers Island, Alleging Hochul is “Pushing to Roll Back Bail Reform”

  A group of eight State lawmakers held a press conference at the entrance to Rikers Island jail on Thursday, April 6, amid, they said, reports of “continued unsafe and inhumane conditions,” at the jail. The visit was scheduled as legislators awaited updates from three-way budget negotiations, and in the context of those negotiations, they allege Gov. Kathy Hochul was “pushing civil rights rollbacks that would result in many more people being held at Rikers without being convicted of a crime.”   Among the group were State Sen. Nathalia Fernandez (S.D. 34) who represents parts of The Bronx, State Sen.


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Vietnam Vet Finds Solace in Sharing the Unsaid

Ondray Cleveland completed two tours of duty in Vietnam between ‘68 and ’71. The Soundview resident said his transition back to civilian life on his return to the U.S. was not plain sailing. Later, he would join the navy for two years, before ultimately leaving the armed services for good.   “[I] wasn’t doing too good once I came out of Vietnam because…stereotypes and all that stuff,” he said. “Then I got myself together and came back out…ups and downs but it’s been good.” Though many years have passed since then, Cleveland was one of over 60 veterans who found


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Student Exhibit at Montefiore Gallery of ARTFul Medicine Honors Ukraine

Bronx elementary students from P.S. 152 in Soundview joined District 18 City Council Member Amanda Farías and others last month for the launch of a new art exhibit featuring bold watercolor paintings of sunflowers painted by the students in honor of Ukraine.   The exhibit was created in partnership with “Studio in a School NYC,” an initiative which brings visual arts education to students from 3K to 12th grade in public schools and to community based organizations across all five boroughs. It is intended to showcase local talent, while also highlighting the role art can play in stress reduction and


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Health Check: Let’s Take Action for World Health Day 2023

  In honor of the 75th anniversary of the creation of the World Health Organization (WHO), April 7 marks World Health Day! This year’s theme is “Health for All” which envisions that all people have good health for a fulfilling life in a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world.   The WHO is dedicated to the well-being of all people, and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance to live a healthy life. Unfortunately, we are not quite there yet. Some groups have been given fewer opportunities to be healthy and therefore have poorer overall health. This includes


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ANHD Morgan Stanley Community Development Graduate Fellowship Deadline is May 15

ANHD/Morgan Stanley Community Development Graduate Fellowship applications are open NOW, through May 15. ANHD (Association for Neighborhood Housing Development) and Morgan Stanley seek graduate students and ANHD Member organizations to apply to what it describes as its highly successful community development leadership program’s 12th cohort year, running September 2023 – June 2024.   The ANHD/Morgan Stanley Community Development Graduate Fellowship program builds the capacity of community development organizations in NYC by cultivating and empowering emerging community development leaders.   Nine (9) graduate students will be selected and paired with a neighborhood-based ANHD-member community development organization. Working on a unique, affordable


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Bronx Borough Hall Lit Turquoise, Pink & Purple as World Dyslexia Assembly Sits in NYC

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday, April 3, that City Hall and two additional municipal buildings, including Bronx Borough Hall, would be lit turquoise, pink and purple the same evening to raise awareness of the hosting by New York City of the “Made By Dyslexia’s World Dyslexia Assembly” on April 3 at the David Geffen Hall in the Lincoln Centre in Manhattan.   “Made By Dyslexia has made it their mission to train every teacher and help every workplace to spot, support, and empower every dyslexic mind,” said Adams. “As a student, I struggled with identifying my


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Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center’s “Rollin’ Colon” Helps Raise Awareness of Colon Cancer

March marked Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and with colorectal cancer the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and women, Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center providers held a public awareness event on the last day of the month on Friday, March 31, at its Moses campus on 210th Street in Norwood to raise awareness of this type of cancer.   The “Rollin’ Colon” a 20-foot long, 12-foot high, 10-foot wide, pink inflatable, walk-through reproduction of the human colon, had the desired effect stopping passersby in their tracks as they took in the unusual sight. Later, they were able to walk through


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