Youngsters were treated to an end-of-summer party as Friends of Devoe Park (FoDP) hosted their first ‘Peace Rally and Back-to-School Giveaway,’ in Devoe Park on Saturday, Sept. 10. Held inside the park, located along University Avenue between Father Zeiser Place and West Fordham Road in Fordham Manor, the event opened with a unity and protection prayer by FoDP core group member, Myrna Calderon.

 

FoDP were supported on the day by local elected officials and the NYPD who provided security for the event, which was organized by FoDP members, John Howard, Calderon, Rachel Miller- Bradshaw, Tobie Buford, Kenson Clarke, Erika Gonzalez and Juan Carlos Melgarejo, and hosted by Miller-Bradshaw.

 

Outgoing Assembly Member José Rivera (A.D. 78) provided COVID-19 home test kits and bookbags and his wife, Blanche Rivera, was also seen volunteering on the day distributing the bags, filled with supplies, some of which were donated by Fordham Hill Owners Corporation and Prestige Management.

 

There was also plenty of free food and a DJ, and the City Parks Foundation providing balloon artists, face-painters and ice cream, which all added to the fun-filled atmosphere. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) spoke at the event and later mingled with attendees.

Dareylin Heckstall from the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health, located at 1775 Grand Concourse in Mt. Hope, spoke to park goers about the various services they provided to the community, while cure violence group, Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence (B.R.A.G.) addressed the crowd about their ongoing anti-violence mission.

 

United Federation of Teachers (UFT) members were also present, providing free books which were placed in many of the 500 backpacks that were given away on the day.

 

State Sen. Robert Jackson (S.D. 31) of Manhattan, the first Muslim to serve in the New York State senate, was also in attendance, supplying bookbags and school materials which he distributed at the event. The senator appeared confident he would commence serving as senator to Bronx residents of his redrawn district in the Morris Heights, University Heights, Fordham Heights, Kingsbridge Heights neighborhoods, as well as in some parts of Riverdale, effective Jan. 1, 2023, should he win the general election on Nov. 8.

 

“This is an event to promote peace and in fact, I’ve said my number one concern is the safety and security of the people I represent,” Jackson said. “That’s numero uno! I was talking to the police officers which are the community affairs people about it, and I’ve mentioned it to the people, when I spoke about primary issues and concerns.”

Jackson added, “Besides that, education, education, education, affordable housing for everyone, [having] enough food to eat; these are basic necessities that we need to have just to sustain the family, and that’s what I’m going to be doing. I’m doing it now, and I will be doing it in January.”

 

Also present was chief of staff for new mom, District 14 City Council Member Pierina Sanchez, Samantha Cardenas, the latter representing the councilwoman who was on maternity leave. The councilwoman’s office also provided book bags, facemasks and COVID-19 test kits, while Staples on Broadway donated other school supplies.

 

Miller-Bradshaw, who is also president of local political organization, Northwest Bronx Democrats For Change, and, as reported, the newly elected Democratic State committeewoman for the 78th Assembly District, told Norwood News on the day, “We wanted to do something to promote peace, anti-gun violence, community, love for one another. So, what we’ve done is, we’ve kind of combined that with education.” She added that education was the solution to the problem of “youth engaging in criminal activity.”

 

Miller-Bradshaw later recalled the founding of FoDP when the park was listed as “a high-needs park.” With the assistance of the City Parks Foundation, the group has sought funding, assistance from local officials and publicity since the group was founded in 2017.

Miller-Bradshaw later recalled the founding of FoDP when the park was listed as “a high-needs park.” With the assistance of the City Parks Foundation, the group has sought funding, assistance from local officials and publicity since the group was founded in 2017.

 

“Since then, we’ve been very happy with the results; it’s been a safer park,” she said. “It’s been cleaner. We’re getting the attention that we need from our local legislators.” Miller-Bradshaw added that this was important given there were few parks in the “densely populated” area of Fordham Manor.

 

52nd Precinct commanding officer, Deputy Inspector Jeremy Scheublin, explained his attendance on the day, saying, “I came here to say thank you to Friends of Devoe Park, Myrna Calderon, Rachel Miller-Bradshaw, not only for inviting us here today, but also for the continued partnership in our mission in and around Devoe Park and Fordham Hill Oval.”

 

Scheublin, who recently participated in a harm reduction forum to discuss drug use in nearby Poe Park, continued, “This park is for events like this today. It’s for the children, the families, the elderly of this community.” The deputy inspector said he brought his team of neighborhood coordination officers, youth coordination officers, community affairs and members of the NYPD Explorers program in efforts to continue to build a rapport with the community. “Much of what we’ve done here is because of the rapport that we have, and the partnership that we have, and we work with them [FoDP] on an ongoing basis.”

 

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson also stopped by to close out the event, telling the remaining crowd, “I look forward to building new partnerships with the friends’ organization, with all of our tenant leaders and advocates.”

 

She continued, “I wanted to stress, very important for the west side of The Bronx, we’re going to reimagine the Kingsbridge Armory. We’re going to do it with a community-oriented approach, with the community, with all of the different partners and organizations, and we’re going to create good paying jobs that build sustainability and a pathway to the middle class, but we cannot do it without you.”

Gibson concluded, “So, whether you live in the Kingsbridge community or not, I want you to know that the armory is going to transform the entire Bronx and it’s going to be a model for the entire city of New York of how we work together.”

 

For more information on FoDP or a listing of their upcoming events, visit their Facebook page at Friends of Devoe Park Community or email  friendsofdevoep@gmail.com.

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story