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On Thursday, November 21st at 11am, the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice in collaboration with NYC Parks and other stakeholders, will hold a press event in Mott Haven in the Bronx to kickoff of the planning phase of the city’s first Urban Forest Plan, as required by Local Law 148 of 2023. The Urban Forest Plan advances a key goal in PlaNYC, Mayor Adams’s long-term strategic climate plan, to achieve a 30 percent tree canopy cover. 

We would love to have you join us! The event will be held at the Gil Scott-Heron Amphitheater in St. Mary’s Park in Mott Haven. 

Your collaboration will be especially valuable as we work to develop and implement The Urban Forest Plan. This critical document will outline strategies to equitably expand the city’s tree canopy to ease extreme heat and advance environmental justice; objectives that are incredibly important to city government and New Yorkers alike. 

As we noted in previous communications, our coalition was instrumental in the passage of Local Law 148 of 2023 which mandated this Plan – that was a massive win! We would love to continue to sustain our presence and momentum as champions of the urban forest, so please consider joining us at this event.

Thank you and we hope to see you there!

Victoria and Sergio

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The Times Square Alliance, founded in 1992, works to improve and promote Times Square — cultivating the creativity, energy and edge that have made the area an icon of entertainment, culture and urban life for over a century.

In addition to providing core neighborhood services with its Public Safety Officers and Sanitation Associates, the Alliance:

• Promotes local businesses
• Encourages economic development and public improvements
• Co-coordinates numerous major events in Times Square, including the annual New Year’s Eve and Solstice in Times Square celebrations
• Curates and presents public art projects throughout the district via Times Square Arts.
• Advocates on behalf of its constituents with respect to a host of public policy, planning and quality-of-life issues

The Alliance’s district covers most of the territory from 40th Street to 53rd Street between 6th and 8th Avenues, as well as Restaurant Row (46th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue).

The Times Square Alliance is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization and is governed by a large, voluntary Board of Directors.

#tomharris #timessquarealliance #manhattangoesgreen #earthday #marklevine

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As Manhattan’s 28th Borough President, Mark Levine is informed by decades of experience in public service and is driven by a deep care for Manhattan and its people.
He is a strong believer in the power of local governance to shape lasting change and continuously improve our city for the next generation of New Yorkers.

Since assuming office on January 1, 2022, Borough President Levine has been working to create a more equitable, more resilient, and healthier city by striving to ensure the policies, solutions, and work of the Manhattan Borough President’s office benefit everyday people, especially historically disenfranchised communities.

While in office, Borough President Levine has successfully launched initiatives to strengthen equity and resilience throughout the borough, including:

The Million More Trees plan, which will expand the urban canopy, especially in chronically underplanted neighborhoods.

The Manhattan Small Business Booster Loans program, which has provided $2 million in interest-free loans to local entrepreneurs suffering from the pandemic. Steering the effort to establish an NYC Waterfront Protection Agency that would lead the design, construction, management, and governance of coastal resiliency projects, currently overseen by 11 different city agencies.

The Campaign to Curb Congestion, which advocates for the implementation of two-way, variable congestion pricing, reforming e-commerce and deliveries, and expanding cycling infrastructure, especially through a dedicated bike lane on the West Side Highway.

The Borough President also strives to create a civic and political life in Manhattan that is more accessible and transparent so that all people have equal representation and a place to voice their concerns and values.

Borough President Levine leans heavily on his past experiences as a public school teacher, community organizer, and two-term member of the New York City Council.

#marklevine #buroughpresident

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Katharine Hayhoe

Photo by Andriyko Podilnyk, June 9, 2019

All around the world, people are planting tiny forests full of native plants on plots of land as small as a tennis court. These tiny forests — also called pocket forests, mini forests, and, in the U.K., “wee” forests — are based on principles developed in the 1970s by a Japanese botanist named Akira Miyawaki.

When I first heard about the Miyawaki forest being planted by middle-schoolers in California, I was amazed. “The reason we are planting the Miyawaki forests and using the Miyawaki method is to address climate change,” teacher Neelam Patil explained. By densely planting these small plots with native trees and shrubs, the competition between these plants for sunlight means that nearly a century’s worth of growth can be achieved in just a few decades.

Greening urban areas carries a host of benefits. These dense tiny forests cool their surrounding area, mitigating the urban heat island effect. The trees also filter pollution from the air, soak up floodwaters during heavy downpours, and provide a rich habitat for local wildlife. Because they’re so dense, these forests store more carbon than conventionally farmed trees would. And, as fifth-grader Lydia says here, “When I look at it, I feel very proud and I am happy that I’m helping the world.” That’s six wins!

Over 3000 projects around the world have already been created using Miyawaki’s methods, according to the British nonprofit Creating Tomorrow’s Forests. In Canada, six mini forests were planted last year while Amman, Jordan already has five mini forests and another in the works. Work on a new one on New York City’s small Roosevelt Island will begin this spring and an elementary schoolin McAllen, Texas is also getting one soon.

Want to learn more? Watch this video on the first tiny forest in Massachusetts, and consider starting one where you live. It’s a great project for neighbourhoods, communities and schools!

NOT-SO-GOOD NEWS

My cats, Dr. Evil and Mr. Jekyll

I love kittens – but even our cats Dr. Evil and Mr. Jekyll (pictured above) agree that a world with a longer, more active kitten season isn’t good for anyone.

Feral cats are typically most fertile when it’s warm out, and unfortunately, each year kitten season seems to be starting earlier and ending later. This means more kittens for already overloaded shelters, more feral cats, and more threats to biodiversity. One study estimated that outdoor, mostly unhomed, cats kill between 1 to 4 billion birds and 6 to 22 billion small mammals in the U.S. alone every year.

As you might guess, climate change – with its milder winters and earlier springtime – is likely responsible. Milder winters may mean more food, and so cats start mating earlier in the year than they have in the past. “No animal is going to breed unless they can survive,” says Christopher Lepczyk, an ecologist at Auburn University who studies free-ranging cats. Milder winters mean that last year’s kittens may survive in larger numbers, too. “I would argue that temperature really matters,” Lepczyk said.

And animal shelters cannot keep up. The Humane Society of America already likens each kitten season to a “natural disaster.” “As the population continues to explode, how do we address all these little lives that need our help?” asks Ann Dunn, director of Oakland Animal Services. “We’re giving this everything we have.”

INSPIRATION OF THE MONTH

YECA’s Steering Committee on an in-person retreat in Massachusetts, 2023

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Right now 10/2/15 please donate to our Kickstarter Campaign which ends on October 6, 2015, https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/31744597/support-producing-3-peace-day-events-in-nyc or go directly to our website www.peacedayparty.org to make a pledge.

We were blessed with many messages, including Pope Francis, Borough Presidents Gale Brewer of Manhattan and Eric Adams of Brooklyn. Along with Oprah, Dr Oz, Urban Zen, Sarabeth’s and many more peacekeepers.

Good News Corporation, is a non-profit, est. 2002, created www.peacedayparty.org and has been involved with strengthening the message to Achieve World Peace since our inception, especially for children. Our shows included celebrities/organizations such as Paul McCartney, Michael Douglas, Dr. Jane Goodall, CEO Clubs, 39 Steps, New York New Works Festival, Ronald McDonald House, Rotary, KIND Snacks, Sarabeth’s, Lush Cosmetics, Steve Madden, Junior’s Restaurant, Peace Prayer Society, Hugg- a – Planets, Urban Zen, Brooklyn Nets, IHeart Radio, Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty, Captain Planet Foundation… who speak for peace.

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DoorDash & NY Urban League Partner to Support Black New Yorkers

Partnership will provide direct relief, resources for Black workforce, Black-owned businesses

New York, NY (November 12, 2020)—The New York Urban League (NYUL) and DoorDash today announced a partnership to provide direct relief to Black-owned businesses and restaurants through NYUL’s COVID-19 African American Family Relief Fund, support for NYUL’s workforce development programming and expanded access to low-barrier-to-entry earning opportunities like earning on the DoorDash platform through Dashing, and expanding support for Black-owned businesses. The partnership will build on NYUL’s 100-year history of civil rights work.

With an array of synergies between the organizations, NYUL & DoorDash are partnering on several engagement opportunities including three key initiatives:

1. Direct relief in the age of COVID: DoorDash will contribute to NYUL’s COVID-19 Family Fund to support black owned business, restaurants, and NYUL programming.
2. Workforce Development: DoorDash will partner with the New York Urban League to promote and support NYUL’s existing workforce development programming, counseling and referrals to help un- and underemployed individuals become job ready and take advantage of meaningful employment opportunities, as well as raising awareness among NYUL members of low-barrier-to-entry earning opportunities like Dashing through member education.
3. Expanding support for Black-owned businesses: ​NYUL will work with DoorDash to expand DoorDash’s Black-owned business program to NYUL members. In addition, DoorDash will work with NYUL to identify opportunities for DoorDash to support NYUL’s programming through providing gift cards or discounts for DoorDash orders. This will enable the NYUL to access free or discounted meals for Urban League events and programs.

Arva Rice, President and CEO of the New York Urban League said, “We are immensely grateful to DoorDash for their generous grant and partnership which will allow us to continue our work, ever more crucial during pandemic, which is disproportionately affecting the African American community.”

“We’re incredibly proud to join the New York Urban League and further our commitment to supporting Black communities and Black-owned businesses,” said David London, Head of U.S. East & Federal Government Relations at DoorDash. “From loan matching and direct financial relief, to elevating Back-owned businesses and entrepreneurs on our platform, to supporting state and local organizations, we remain dedicated to uplifting communities of color and look forward to partnering closely with the New York Urban League on this shared mission.”

Highlights of the New York Urban League’s Covid-19 Response Work

African American Family Relief Fund: NYUL’s Relief Fund for African American children and families provides direct cash grants of up to $1000 to assist families with rent, utilities and other bill payments during the pandemic.

Educational Town Halls: The New York Urban League has organized and hosted a series of Virtual Town Halls with local, state and federal officials, civil rights leaders and medical professionals, serving to provide information and to dispel myths and untruths about the coronavirus. Five such Town Halls have been held, including “The COLOR of COVID19” NYUL Virtual Town Hall on Health Disparities, Beyond the Classroom: Resources and Support for Virtual Learning and Support for Small Biz.

Highlights of DoorDash’s Support for Black-Owned Business

This summer, DoorDash announced a number of new initiatives and actions to support Black-owned businesses and stand for justice. These include the following: 

• Highlighting “Black-owned” businesses on both the DoorDash and Caviar platforms to help customers easily support Black-owned restaurants. A month later, DoorDash saw a 275x increase for these searches over the previous month.
• Donating $1 million, with $500,000 going to Black Lives Matter and $500,000 to create a fund to be directed by the Black@DoorDash Employee Resource Group (ERG) towards state and local organizations.
• Establishing a Dashers of Color Council to advise the company on issues facing Black Dashers, including safety and access.

Additional details on DoorDash’s commitment to equity and justice can be found on the DoorDash blog here, and here.

About DoorDash

DoorDash is a technology company that connects customers with their favorite local and national businesses in more than 4,000 cities and all 50 states across the United States, Canada and Australia. Founded in 2013, DoorDash empowers merchants to grow their businesses by offering on-demand delivery, data-driven insights, and better in-store efficiency, providing delightful experiences from door to door. By building the last-mile delivery infrastructure for local cities, DoorDash is bringing communities closer, one doorstep at a time. Read more on the DoorDash blog or at www.doordash.com.

About New York Urban League

For over 100 years, the New York Urban League (NYUL) has led the way in the education, employment, and empowerment of underserved African-Americans across the five boroughs of New York City. During this time, we are proud to have inspired, influenced, and ignited over one million Black people to achieve their highest aspirations. NYUL remains a vital resource for our city’s African-Americans and other underserved groups. We invest to transform the lives of over 8,000 families each year by providing quality higher education options, economic opportunity, and community engagement.

Visit https://www.nyul.org/, https://www.facebook.com/newyorkurbanleague/ and https://twitter.com/NYUrbanLeague.

Contact: Lisa Skriloff (for the New York Urban League)

Multicultural Marketing Resources, Inc.

212-242-3351, Lisa@multicultural.com

Charles Kretchmer Lutvak (for DoorDash)

Risa Heller Communications

917-748-3096, charles@risaheller.com

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Listen to “Earth Celebrations’ Founder Felicia Young, change through the arts.” on Spreaker.

Felicia Young is a social action artist and the founder of Earth Celebrations, a non-profit organization on the Lower East Side of New York City since 1991, to engage communities to generate ecological and social change through the arts. For the past 30 years Earth Celebrations’ programs, www.earthcelebrations.com,
have applied the inspirational power of the arts to build community, collaboration and action on climate change, water quality, river restoration, waste management, and the preservation of species, habitats, nature, gardens, parks, and a healthy urban environment. Earth Celebrations has pioneered and developed innovative strategies utilizing collaborative arts to build broad-based coalitions and diverse sector partnerships with local organizations, academic institutions, government agencies, schools and community residents to work together and mobilize action to achieve common goals and ecological, policy and social change. The current Ecological City: Art & Climate Solutions project engages artists, gardeners, schools, organizations, youth and residents to collaborate over 9 months co-creating theatrical pageant, a procession with 20 site performances, to celebrate climate solution and sustainability initiatives throughout the community gardens, neighborhood and waterfront on the Lower East Side of New York City.

Opening – VIDEO CLIP – Earth Celebrations’ Ecological City: Procession for Climate Solutions May, 2019 – a community art and environmental action project engaging artists, gardeners, schools, organizations, youth and residents to collaborate over 9 months co-creating theatrical pageant, a procession with 20 site performances, to celebrate climate solution and sustainability initiatives throughout the community gardens, neighborhood and waterfront on the Lower East Side of New York City.

Closing Closing – VIDEO CLIP – The Bio-Remediation Sculpture was created for Earth Celebrations’ Ecological City: Procession for Climate Solutions by local artist/gardener Dee Dee Maucher from earth with fermented micro organisms, willow branches and other nutrient rich organic materials collected. The sculpture rode on on a cycle-rickshaw throughout the 5 hour procession and was offered to the East River at the end of the day. She floated on a reed raft and headed due south offering her nutrients for the cleansing of the river.

#earth #celebrations #founder #felicia #young #engage #ecological #social #arts #action #non-profit #nonprofit #new #york #city #nyc #ny #organization #climate #water #quality #river #restoration #waste #management #species #habitats #nature #gardens #parks #healthy #urban #environment

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Learn more about the development of the college by reading the New Community College Concept Paper, the case study Rethinking Community College for the 21st Century and other college planning documents from 2008-2010.
In April 2013 The City University of New York received a $25 million gift from the Stella and Charles Guttman Foundation to support The New Community College at CUNY and two other community college initiatives to boost student retention and graduation rates. In honor of the $15 million endowment gift to the college, the foundation’s largest and the largest ever given to a New York State community college, the CUNY Board of Trustees passed a resolution to rename The New Community College Stella and Charles Guttman Community College. The gift will provide support for activities such as paid internships, community service and experiential learning and for scholarships and student emergency funds.
The Stella and Charles Guttman Foundation focuses much of its grantmaking on educational programs and social services to support low-income New York City children, youth and families. The son of immigrants, Charles Guttman was raised on the Lower East Side and attended public school until age 13, when he began working odd jobs to help support his family. In adulthood he built a successful business, The Paddington Corp. In 1959, he and his wife, Stella Rappaport Guttman, established the Guttman Foundation for the “improvement and benefit of mankind, and the alleviation of human suffering.” Upon their deaths in 1969, without leaving descendants, the Guttmans bequeathed substantially all of their assets to the Foundation.

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