Politics

Book Review: “Begin Again, James Baldwin’s America and its Urgent Lessons for Our Own,” by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.

By JIM FAIRBANKS
  Glaude’s title of “Begin Again” [Crown Publishing, 2020] calls us to renewed action for racial justice. He gives hopeful examples of past Black rights gained, such as the civil rights laws during Reconstruction after the Civil War, and during the Black Power movement of the 1960s. Yet, he writes that each effort was followed by White backlash Baldwin calls the “After Times.”   We are again living in the “After Times” now! This book is not a hopeful story of change; this is a sobering book. Glaude Jr. quotes American sociologist, socialist, historian, and Pan-African civil rights activist, W.E.B.


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Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on Proposed Bipartisan African American History Act

By DAVID GREENE
This week, in recognition of Black History Month, we asked readers their thoughts on the proposed bipartisan African American History Act bill, introduced to Congress once again by Democratic co-sponsors, U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) and U.S. Sen. Corey Booker (NJ) as reported, and which, if passed, would invest $10 million over the next 5 years to promote and support education programs dedicated to African American history.   “I think they should sign this legislation with the hope that all Black and brown communities will also have their stories told. Truth be told, as a Puerto Rican-American, our story has


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Espaillat Delivers State of the District Address for NY-13

By ARIEL PACHECO
  Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) hosted his annual State of the District address on Jan. 29 at The Forum at Columbia University in front of a packed auditorium with many more waiting outside. As usual, the event was an occasion to highlight the congressman’s legislative victories and present his legislative agenda for the 118th Congress.   During his address, Espaillat, a Democrat, committed to increasing funding for public safety, community and cultural programs, infrastructure development, and educational initiatives. “We created and passed legislation to create jobs, to help small businesses, to address climate change, to lower the cost of healthcare,


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UPDATE Man, 65, Dies in DOC Custody at North Infirmary Command of Rikers Island Prison

By SÍLE MOLONEY
NYC Department of Correction (DOC) officials said a person in custody at the North Infirmary Command (NIC), part of Rikers Island detention center, has died, marking the first death of a person in DOC custody in 2023.   The news was confirmed by department officials on Saturday, Feb. 4 at around 11.20 a.m. “Marvin Pines, 65, who was in custody at the North Infirmary Command (NIC) passed away on 2/4/23,” a DOC official said. “Mr. Pines was pronounced dead at NIC at approx. 6.18 a.m. this morning.”   Reacting to the news, DOC Commissioner Louis A. Molina said, “Any death


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Bowman, Booker Reintroduce African American History Act, Urge Nation to Tell the Truth About its Past

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  As February marks Black History Month, Democrats, Rep. Jamaal Bowman Ed.D (NY-16) and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker reintroduced The African American History Act in both the House and the Senate and are urging leaders across the nation to tell the truth about the United States’ history of racism and white supremacy. The bill was reintroduced on Feb. 2 with over 100 original co-sponsors in the House, representatives for Bowman and Booker said.   “It is our moral imperative to tell the truth about our past to finally reconcile with this nation’s history of racism and white nationalism, and our


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New York City Declares End to MPV Outbreak After “Nation-Leading Response”

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  City health officials announced on Wednesday, Feb. 1, an end to the MPV [monkeypox / “mpox”] outbreak. The news comes as transmission remains “very low” in the City for two consecutive months health officials said, adding that the declaration followed the successful vaccination of more than 100,000 New Yorkers, and community partnerships in education and behavior change.   The City had been the epicenter of the outbreak last year but according to health officials, DOH launched a number of successful response strategies to curb transmission. The declaration of the end of the outbreak also comes as the U.S. public


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Bronx BP Launches Digital Community Board Application Process, CB7 Hiring District Manager

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson announced on Jan. 24 the launch of the Bronx’s first-ever online community board application process, available in English and Spanish, adding that the launch was an effort to prioritize fairness, equity, and broader participation that, according to Gibson, mirrors the diversity in all 12 Bronx community boards.   Each year, the Office of The Bronx Borough President accepts applications from city residents who reside, work, and/or have professional or other significant interests in the borough. According to Gibson, the new digital application process should make applying easier, more accessible, and should ensure the Office


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Bronx Borough Hall Lit Yellow for International Holocaust Remembrance Day

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx Borough Hall was lit in yellow in recognition of International Holocaust Remembrance on Friday, Jan. 27, along with all municipal buildings across the the City. Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the City commemorated the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest German Nazi concentration and extermination camp, adding, “We remember and honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and the many others that were murdered.”   Gibson continued, “Today, seven people were killed in a terror attack inside a synagogue in Jerusalem. We will not tolerate these horrendous acts of


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Op-Ed: The Work Never Stops in the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

By SARASWATHI CUFFEY
  Tobacco remains the number one cause of preventable death and disease with over 28,000 New Yorkers continuing to die every year, according to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. Fact Sheet: The Toll of Tobacco in New York. May 18, 2021. Although the rates of youth smoking cigarettes are declining, the rate of e-cigarette use by high school youth continues to rise, according to a 2019 survey on New York City Youth Risk Behavior conducted by NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.   The same survey found that 37,000 New York City high school students use e-cigarettes and are


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