Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams comforted Margaret Brishbon, a resident of Gowanus Houses since LATEST INITIATIVES 1963, as she spoke about her personal story amid the citywide heating crisis at a rally he held outside the In response to Correction O cer Jean Roston practices are somehow deemed acceptable. Our hot liquids, as well as electrical burns that can also Gowanus Houses Community Center in Boerum Hill with Sourant suering a fractured spine and swelling children deserve fully-rounded educational experi- cause internal damage. dozens of impacted New York City Housing Authority in the brain following an orchestrated attack by ences that prepare them for living and working in (NYCHA) tenants. alleged gang members while on duty at the George diverse communities. History matters, and those To advance Brooklyn tourism, Borough President Photo Credit: Erica Sherman/Brooklyn BP’s Oce Motchan Detention Center on Rikers Island, who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat Adams and Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC) Execu- Borough President Adams called on the City to the worst of it.” tive Director Charlotte Cohen joined representa- bring back punitive segregation for violent o enders tives from small local arts organizations across the in the prison system. Outside the Brooklyn Deten- Amid a rise in local fires across Brooklyn, which borough in announcing $22,500 in new Destina- tion Complex in Downtown Brooklyn on Wednes- have claimed dozens of lives, Borough President tion>Brooklyn mini-grants to 15 local arts and day, February 14th, joined by representatives from Adams joined the entire City Council delegation culture organizations to advance cultural tourism Correction Ocers’ Benevolent Association, Inc. from Brooklyn in calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to across the borough; this allocation brought the (COBA) and its president, Elias Husamudeen, allocate $10 million in the City’s Fiscal Year 2019 program’s total investment to local arts and culture Borough President Adams emphasized increasingly (FY19) budget to complete the capital and operat- organizations to more than $125,000 since 2015. dangerous conditions for these ocers, including ing costs for the creation of Brooklyn’s first burn The grant program, now in its fourth year of opera- inmate-on-inmate slashings and stabbings rising 26 unit. This renewed push, announced on Tuesday, tion, supports the promotion of local artistic groups percent in 2017 compared to 2016, and corrections February 20th, came amid a rise in local fires; last to a broader audience through the creation, produc- ocers recovering more than 3,000 weapons from year, the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) tion, and distribution of print promotional materials, inmates in 2017 — a record number. Borough responded to 8,206 structural fires and 4,974 funded by the Oce of the Brooklyn Borough President Adams recommended a citywide non-structural fires in Brooklyn alone, an increase President and NYC & Company Foundation. The re-examination of policy regarding violent o enders of nearly two percent and 6.5 percent over 2016 announcement took place at the studio space of one who commit violent acts in jail to ensure the safety statistics, respectively. Cost estimates for the first of the grant recipients, Cora Dance, a critically-ac- of both the ocers and non-violent o enders. year of operation for a new eight-bed burn unit, claimed dance company in Red Hook that o ers BROOKLYN BOROUGH PRESIDENT including build-out and operating costs, are approxi- five days a week of pay-what-you-can classes in On Wednesday, February 14th, Borough President mately $14.5 million. Borough President Adams ballet, composition, hip-hop, modern, and other Adams joined State Senator Jesse Hamilton, committed $4.15 million from his Fiscal Year 2016 dance forms led by an array of professional dance ERIC L. ADAMS’ community leaders, students, teachers, and educa- (FY16) capital budget to go toward the construction instructors; groups of children and young adults tion advocates in a rally outside PS 298 Dr. Betty of a burn center in Brooklyn; he and the members of from the dance school performed at the celebration. OF THE Shabazz in Brownsville to call on the State to support the Brooklyn delegation emphasized the need for In addition to Cora Dance, the arts and culture MESSAGE MONTH Black history education through support for State the City to act on this public health and safety organizations receiving a Destination>Brooklyn Senator Hamilton’s legislation (S.5454) mandating imperative. A burn center provides all four phases of grant included Arts Gowanus; Brooklyn Raga inclusion of Black history in New York State’s K-12 health care for burns, including treatment of Massive; Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music; curriculum. In response to the legislation, Borough wounds and surgery, interventions to prevent shock, Continuum Culture & Arts, Inc.; FiveMyles; Fort WHAT’S UP AT BROOKLYN BOROUGH HALL? President Adams stated “recent events have shown rehabilitation services, and reconstructive surgery. Greene Park Conservancy; Fulton Art Fair; Haiti it is more important than ever to ensure every Burn units treat a variety of burn types, such as the Cultural Exchange; JACK; Metropolitan Music student, from Brooklyn to Bu alo, is culturally thermal burns sustained in a fire, chemical burns Community; NARS Foundation; Regina Opera On Thursday, February 1st, Borough 2nd, followed by a Lantern Flower dite the reconstruction of the Brook- informed. Sadly, we are not past the days in which caused by common household cleaners and Company; Ti any Mills Company, and Wendy’s Market held in Columbus Park on lyn-Queens Expressway between blackface performance or racially-charged teaching swimming pool chemicals, scald burns produced by Subway. President Adams joined the New York State Education Department (NYSED), Saturday, February 10th and concluding Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street in the New York City Department of Edu- with a Year of the Dog celebration in the Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO. UPCOMING EVENTS cation (NYCDOE), and the Mayor’s Rotunda on Thursday, February 22nd. Young Men’s Initiative (YMI) in hosting Borough President Adams hosted two VARIOUS DAYS THURSDAY, MARCH 1ST TO SATURDAY, MARCH 10TH VARIOUS TIMES SATURDAY, MARCH 31ST 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM a convening of the My Brother’s Keeper Healthy eating, healthy living! Borough Notice of Property Value workshops on Brooklyn Borough Hall – Room G-80 ALL DAY Ingersoll Community Center initiative in the Courtroom at Brooklyn President Adams hosted his second Tuesday, February 13th and Wednesday, FREE Legal Services for All Various Locations/Free Screenings for Colon Cancer Summer Youth Resource Fair Awareness Month Borough Hall. The gathering brought Plant-Based Vegan Meetup in the February 21st in the Courtroom at WEDNESDAYS, MARCH 14TH TO MARCH 28TH together academics and students to Courtroom of Brooklyn Borough Hall Brooklyn Borough Hall, aimed at EVERY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY SUNDAY, MARCH 4TH AND 10:00 AM TO 12:00 PM discuss empowerment issues for young on Monday, February 5th. The evening providing homeowners and small busi- VARIOUS TIMES SUNDAY MARCH 18TH Brooklyn Borough Hall – Community Room/Brooklyn Brooklyn Borough Hall – Room G-80 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Crochets for a Cause: Homelessness Outreach men of color. featured a panel discussion with several ness owners with the opportunity to SCORE NYC Small Business Mentoring Victory Assembly of God vegan activists as well as delicious meet representatives from the New Victory’s Financial Empowerment THURSDAY, MARCH 29TH Gong Xi Fa Cai! Borough President plant-based treats for all to enjoy. York City Department of Finance 6:00 PM TO 9:00 PM VARIOUS DATES Brooklyn Borough Hall – Courtroom Adams held a month of Lunar New Year (DOF) and the New York City Tax VARIOUS TIMES TUESDAY, MARCH 6TH Women’s History Month Celebration Brooklyn Borough Hall – Community Room 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM celebrations at Brooklyn Borough Hall, Design-build now! That was the mes- Commission to discuss their property FREE Tax Preparation and Filing Brooklyn Borough Hall – Community Room sage at a community rally held on and ask questions about assessed and Brooklyn Borough Board Meeting starting o with a Chinese and Ameri- If you have an interest in any of these events, please contact can cultural exchange meet-and-greet Friday, February 9th at the Brooklyn market values. us by visiting brooklyn-usa.org for more information or by between students from China and Heights Promenade, where Borough THURSDAY, MARCH 1ST THURSDAY, MARCH 8TH calling our event hotline at (718) 802-2328. Additionally, to 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM stay up-to-date with the o ce, visit brooklyn-usa.org to sign Crown Height’s Medgar Evers College President Adams advocated for the use Continued on next page Brooklyn Borough Hall – Courtroom Brooklyn Borough Hall – Courtroom up for Borough President Adams’ paperless notifications, like of this project delivery method to expe- Colon Cancer Awareness Month Forum Open Data Week 2018: Housing Stat Demo his Facebook page, and follow @BPEricAdams on Twitter. Preparatory School on Friday, February

MARCH 2018 WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG MARCH 2018 Borough President Adams gave a thumbs up to a traditional Chinese dragon dancer at his Year Borough President Adams joined Corrections Ocers Benevolent Association President Elias of the Dog celebration held in the Rotunda of Brooklyn Borough Hall. Husamudeen (left) and corrections ocers outside the Brooklyn Detention Complex in Downtown Brooklyn to call on the City to reform its corrections policy for disciplining violent Photo Credit: Erica Sherman/Brooklyn BP’s Oce o enders, specifically asking for a reexamination of its approach to ending punitive segregation for all violent inmates. Photo Credit: Erica Sherman/Brooklyn BP’s Oce

COMMUNITY ALERTS Borough President Adams and Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC) Executive Director Charlotte Borough President Adams honored young dancers and drummers from the Ifetayo Cultural Cohen (center-right) joined young dancing students at Cora Dance in Red Hook, alongside Arts Academy in Prospect-Le erts Gardens during his annual Black History Month On Monday, February 5th, Borough President Adams Borough President Adams applauded the New York City students and advocates to convene and organize in representatives from local arts and culture organizations from across Brooklyn, to announce celebration in the Courtroom of Brooklyn Borough Hall. joined a rally organized by the St. Nicks Alliance and local Department of Cultural A airs (DCLA) and the New preparation for actions such as the National Student $22,500 in Destination>Brooklyn tourism mini-grants awarded by Brooklyn Arts Council residents at 230 Manhattan Avenue in Williamsburg to York City Economic Development Corporation Walkout on Wednesday, March 14th and the March For (BAC), with funding from the Oce of the Brooklyn Borough President and NYC & Photo Credit: Erica Sherman/Brooklyn BP’s Oce demand their landlord heed their calls for much-needed (NYCEDC) on Thursday, February 15th for launching a Our Lives on Saturday, March 24th in Washington, DC. Company Foundation. repairs, leases, and respect for the tenants of the building. citywide assessment on the need for a ordable artist Students across Brooklyn are invited to participate in Residents of the privately-owned building have been on workspace through CreateNYC. The initiative follows a Borough President Adams’ National Student Walkout Photo Credit: Erica Sherman/Brooklyn BP’s Oce rent strike since May of 2016 and are being represented by report his administration compiled in 2016 recommending Rally to be held at Prospect Park on Wednesday, March the Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A in their legal the use of the ULURP process to secure a ordable 14th from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM; for more information, battle against the landlord. Borough President Adams spoke cultural and studio spaces for artisans and artists. please call (718) 802-2356 or email programs@brook- about the importance of maintaining a ordable housing in Workspaces are often costly and out of reach for many lynbp.nyc.gov. In celebration of Black History Month, senior centers, adult day care centers, Mayor Bill de Blasio, the New York City Brooklyn and the need for management to be responsive to artists just starting out in their careers or working to climb the needs of residents, particularly when their housing onto the next ladder of their careers. These spaces will Ahead of Colon Cancer Awareness Month, which is Borough President Adams hosted a gath- elder law firms, and social service Department of Consumer A airs conditions have deteriorated due to purposeful neglect. If serve to be new homes for talent across the borough, annually observed in March, Borough President Adams ering of African-American clergy leaders, programs. (DCA), Financial Empowerment Center, you are facing contractual or maintenance issues with your further cementing Brooklyn’s reputation as a cultural and announced free colon cancer screenings will be made landlord and need help from the City, please call 311 or our entrepreneurial haven for the creative sector while helping available through the month for uninsured and underin- under the theme of “Remembering Our and New York Legal Assistance Group. Constituent Assistance Center at (718) 802-3800. to maintain neighborhood residency for artists who have sured persons at 10 di erent locations across Brooklyn, Roots,” at the Billie Holiday Theatre in We’re building a more sustainable Counseling sessions o ered confidential invested years in making our communities more distinct including Brookdale University Medical Center, The and dynamic. If you are seeking to develop and/or operate Brooklyn Hospital Center, NYC Health + Hospitals/Co- In response to persistent problems with boilers, heating, Bedford-Stuyvesant on Thursday, Febru- Brooklyn! Borough President Adams one-on-one consultations with financial a ordable artist workspace in Brooklyn, respond to the ney Island, Interfaith Medical Center, NYC Health + and water supplies at multiple New York City Housing ary 15th. The month was capped o with hosted a legislative breakfast for his experts and legal aid professionals. Authority (NYCHA) buildings across Brooklyn, Borough request for expressions of interest (RFEI) at nycedc.com Hospitals/Kings County, Maimonides Medical Center, for further information or to download an application; the NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, his heritage celebration held in the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Task- President Adams convened an emergency press conference calling for dedicated funding for NYCHA infrastructure submission deadline is February 4, 2019. SUNY Downstate Medical Center, NYC Health + Courtroom at Brooklyn Borough Hall on force (ReSET) on Friday, February 16th ¡Feliz Día de la Independencia Domini- repairs and increased public-private partnerships to support Hospitals/Woodhull, and Wycko Heights Medical Center. Colon cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer current residents including reconnecting with former In the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Wednesday, February 28th, which in the Community Room of Brooklyn cana! On Tuesday, February 27th, death in Brooklyn with men in East New York having the residents who have gone on to live successful lives. On Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which killed 14 included genealogy testing and a cultural Borough Hall. He presented a legislative Borough President Adams, along with Monday, February 5th at Gowanus Houses in Boerum Hill, students and three teachers, Borough President Adams highest colorectal cancer death rate in the borough. Borough President Adams also called for the creation of a convened an emergency gun violence meeting with high Symptoms can include change in frequency of bowel review of the borough’s African-Ameri- agenda from the task force that included Council Members Rafael L. Espinal, Jr. NYCHA capital project dashboard to provide real-time school students, gun violence advocates, parents, and movements, change in consistency of stool or any blood, can history. solar energy incentive and assistance and Antonio Reynoso, joined Brooklyn’s information and data to help guide project implementation, youth organizations on Thursday, February 22nd in the weakness and fatigue, and unintended weight loss. If you which would include, but not be limited to, the provision of Community Room at Brooklyn Borough Hall. Attendees are uninsured or underinsured and wish to schedule a programs, green building codes, vehicle Dominican community in celebrating the information as to project costs, status updates, as well as discussed how to help mobilize a Brooklyn-wide, colon cancer screening, call (718) 802-3847. On Thursday, February 15th, Borough fueling infrastructure and procurement, country’s independence in the Court- additional progress metrics such as completion timelines. youth-led movement for gun reform. Borough President An analysis conducted by Borough President Adams’ oce Adams, an outspoken advocate on reducing gun violence President Adams hosted a reception for as well as green workforce training. room at Brooklyn Borough Hall. The found that while a capital project dashboard exists within across America as both a legislator and 22-year veteran of senior service providers in the Communi- festivities included remarks by Carlos the Oce of the Mayor, NYCHA is not listed as one of the the New York City Police Department (NYPD), facilitat- Our Constituent Assistance Center is here to agencies monitored, and there is no similar dashboard ed a discussion on how Brooklyn’s schools can increase serve all of Brooklyn. If you or someone you know ty Room of Brooklyn Borough Hall, A free Student Loan Debt Clinic was Castillo, consul general of the Dominican specifically for NYCHA capital projects beyond a list of their security measures, the importance of developing are having any issues, or if you have questions where he spoke about the importance of held on Friday, February 16th at Bedford Republic in New York, as well as cultural whether a reported issue is in progress of being addressed or robust mental health support for young people in schools about topics such as alternate side parking, if it has been resolved. If you have issues with heat or hot and in afterschool programming, and the need to unite the sidewalk pickup, or other community matters, being able to “age in place.” The gathering Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, performances and a taste of Dominican water at a NYCHA residence, contact 311 or our Constitu- borough’s youth to combat gun violence. He also including the topics in this month’s update, call the included representatives from Brooklyn’s co-hosted by Borough President Adams, cuisine. ent Assistance Center at (718) 802-3800. announced Brooklyn Borough Hall as an open hub for Center at (718) 802-3700.

MARCH 2018 WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG MARCH 2018