Dec. 21, 2023 By Kay White & Shaun Francois Every day, over a million students swipe MetroCards at the turnstile, pedal through city streets, or ride a bus between home and school. As students walk those last few blocks towards school, they’re often both greeted and protected by crossing guards. New Yorkers in fluorescent vests create safe passages in hectic city streets, offering both visibility and physical protection for our smallest and youngest. It’s dangerous wherever cars and pedestrians meet – but especially so when these pedestrians are children. Since 2014, 106 children have been killed by vehicles on our…
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Tag: opinion
Op-Ed | Equity Matters: Sunset Park deserves more in DOT’s plans for BQE South and Third Avenue
Dec. 11, 2023 By Julio Peña III In the intricate maze of New York City, Sunset Park stands as a vibrant embodiment of diversity and resilience. Three years ago, our community experienced yet another loss with the tragic death of Clara Kang — a dedicated nurse whose life was cut short while cycling home. On…
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Op-Ed | Thankful for CUNY
Nov. 21, 2023 By Félix V. Matos Rodríguez The holiday season is a time to express gratitude for the good things in life, and for generations of New Yorkers one of those things has been the access they have to public higher education. With its affordable tuition and support services for students, CUNY helps New…
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Op-Ed: Preserving neighborhoods and homes for New Yorkers
Nov. 1, 2023 By Rob Solano As a lifelong resident of Brooklyn, I’ve personally witnessed the sweeping changes that have transformed our borough and indeed the entirety of New York City. I’ve watched neighborhoods lose their sense of community as rents soar, family-owned restaurants become chain establishments, and neighbors no longer know each other’s names. In this shifting landscape, the cultural heritage and character of our streets and blocks have vanished alongside the longtime tenants who once called these areas home. That’s why housing advocates like myself are elated to see New York City implement Local Law 18, known as…
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Op-Ed: Training a New Generation of Doctors to Help Lift NYC
Aug. 28, 2023 By Félix V. Matos Rodríguez Over the next four years, Lillian Lee and her classmates at the CUNY School of Medicine at The City College of New York will have an experience unlike that of most American medical students. CUNY Med was established to change the way medical care is delivered in communities like Harlem, East New York and the South Bronx, and to do it in a culturally competent way. “We get to have the privilege of going to different underserved communities and interacting with patients, hearing their stories, understanding their narratives and learning about their cultures. It’s something that money…
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Op-Ed: A thumbs up to the 534 Coney Island Ave. rezoning is a no-brainer for Brooklyn
Aug. 18, 2023 By Wil Fisher It is no secret that housing in New York City is difficult to find. The city is a victim of its own economic success; the five boroughs have added only 19% as many new homes as jobs between 2010-2018 — creating a market in which high-earners win in a…
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Op-Ed | Doing the right thing: The Coney is helping kids, while critics are out of touch with community
Jul. 21, 2023 By Ken Fitzpatrick I was disappointed to read Mr. Shirayanagi’s critique of The Coney’s sponsorship of Brooklyn USA Basketball’s summer clinic and tournament taking place in Coney Island. As the Director of Operations for Brooklyn USA Basketball, I can say unequivocally that this program would not be taking place AT ALL were…
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Op-Ed: Using kids as props, Coney Island casino developer takes marketing his proposed casino to a new low
Jul. 14, 2023 By Kouichi Shirayanagi Coney Island’s kids want to enjoy themselves, but recently in an act that crossed all ethical boundaries, a local developer used them unwittingly as pawns to promote his bid to develop a casino in their neighborhood. In a long Coney Island tradition, on Saturday, July 1, a group of…
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Op-Ed: Just 1% for parks will go a long way to help southern Brooklyn face climate change
Jun. 26, 2023 By Julie Tighe and Daniel Loud Summer is coming to Brooklyn, bringing warmer weather, hazardous smoke in the air, and some of our first summer storms. Flooding remains a constant risk for our neighborhoods. Extreme weather events like Hurricane Ida and the flooding seen last September are becoming increasingly common due to…
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Op-Ed: At CUNY, internships and academics are vitally connected
May. 4, 2023 By Félix V. Matos Rodríguez As Juan Paredes nears graduation at LaGuardia Community College, he is taking a big step not only toward his degree but toward his career. Juan, a 21-year-old network administration and information security major, is participating in an apprenticeship program offered in partnership with the New York Jobs CEO…
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