After a taxing journey, the couple has spent the past two months in Manalapan, New Jersey, facing a new challenge: Accessing medical care. Stepanchenko hoped her parents would obtain refugee status, which would give them the medical care they need. However, the American system is notoriously backlogged, even with President Biden’s promise to take in 100,000 Ukrainians. Refugee resettlement groups like the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) have cautioned that Biden’s ‘Uniting for Ukraine’ initiative is ‘not a panacea,’ primarily for its reliance on humanitarian parole. Over five million Ukrainians have fled their country since the war began, and for those seeking to come to the US, the confusion has led to desperation, with thousands traveling to Mexico to enter the country through the southern border. Many, like the Stepanchenkos, are struggling to figure out how to access medical care and social services.

For Sergey, 84, an insulin-dependent diabetic, the consequences are potentially dire: Because he needed to leave in a hurry, he was only able to procure a two-month supply of insulin. Stepanchenko has worked tirelessly to find her parents the medical support they need to no avail. The process has turned into such a fiasco that Stepanchenko is now considering sending her parents back to Ukraine.

An incredible rescue mission 

Stepanchenko, a nurse for over 25 years, was working a double shift at an adult care facility when she saw a TV report about the bombing, and by the next afternoon was on a plane  to Clu-Napoca, Romania. From there she drove to the small border town of Siret, where Ukrainian refugees gathered to flee their country. Among other reasons, Sergey did not want to leave because his access to Ukraine’s universal healthcare system provided him his insulin for free. But after hearing their daughter was already en route to rescue them, her parents  reluctantly agreed to be transported by extended family to meet her there.

 Stepanchenko recalls the surreal search for her parents at the border where the line approaching the chain link fence separating Romania and Ukraine was `three-miles long, three-rows wide’ with fleeing Ukrainians. “I call them over and over again, and there’s so many people and everybody is bundled with big jackets because of the cold, so I just kept walking and walking down the line,” said Stepanchenko. Eventually, she saw a man in the shape of her father answer his phone. “I almost couldn’t believe I found them. We hugged and cried – they had already been in line for over two hours. It was very emotional.”

A five-hour bus ride brought them to the Casa Seniori Eden, a church in Gherla converted into a makeshift refugee center. As the only trilingual person on a bus of 42 people, Stepanchenko aided the church volunteers translating English, Russian and Ukrainian. Four days later, they finally returned to Cluj Napoca where it took another six days to arrange a flight back to the U.S. For a brief moment, Stepanchenko thought the hard part of their journey was over. But a conversation with an immigration officer once they touched down at JFK airport sent her anxiety in a new direction.

Sergey and Lidya exhausted in the Cluj Napoca airport, awaiting their flight to the United States with their daughter Natalya. Photo courtesy of Natalya Stepanchenko.

Confusion and frustration mount back on US soil

“They asked me why I didn’t go to the American Embassy and seek refugee status there,” said Stepanchenko, thinking back to how impossible it was to plan amidst the pandemonium. “They say because they have visitor visas, they would need to apply for adjustment of status, and she wasn’t even sure if that could happen.”

Stepanchenko moved her parents into what used to be the office of her apartment and has taken up a third job as their primary caregiver. Although Stepanchenko’s parents have found some semblance of a routine, they’ve been understandably struggling to make a new home as theirs remains under assault. Any bit of free time she’s had in the past two months has been dedicated to figuring out her parent’s healthcare puzzle.

Unable to afford insulin on her own, Stepanchenko’s first instinct was to start a gofundme to raise the $25,000 she’d need to get her parents the necessary insurance in New Jersey. She’s raised over $3,000 thus far, but in a race against her father’s dwindling supply of insulin, Stepanchenko is exploring every angle possible. With the help of her nephew, it took her over six hours to fill out the application for Temporary Protection Status (TPS), which was recently extended to Ukrainians in the US before April 11. However, TPS is primarily utilized for undocumented people seeking access to work, and it remains unclear if her parents qualify. The immigration officer advised her to apply for an adjustment of status and renounce the B-2 visitor visas her parents have held for 20 years, yet the process is painfully slow, sometimes taking between eight and 14 months. And humanitarian parole – the immigration designation her parents could obtain under ‘Uniting for Ukraine’ – requires an American citizen to sponsor a two-year maximum stay and will not necessarily ‘provide them refugee benefits or a pathway to permanent residence,’ according to the HIAS.

“I’m just very frustrated, my parents frustrated, it should be easier than this and less confusing,” said Stepanchenko. She’s written to Ukrainian organizations in the tri-state area and to diabetic associations across the country, all without a clear direction to send her in. Lawyers tell her the fastest way her parents will receive support would be through purchasing their own coverage or buying insulin outright from vendors – but this again is less than ideal. In spite of reduced cost options, the drug remains expensive and can cost between $175 and $300 per vial, with patients needing multiple vials per month.

As their limbo stretches on, Sergey and Lidya are increasingly homesick and pessimistic about when they’ll return home – or if they will at all. Up until recently, Stepanchenko had been resolute in believing that bringing them here was the right decision. Now, she’s not so sure.

“It’s your parents, you know?” she said, swearing she’d make the journey a hundred times over. “After they left, they still bombing, and I couldn’t have left them there.”

The post After one American rescued her parents in Ukraine, a new challenge emerges: Accessing healthcare appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

On Saturday, April 30th, the Esplanade was packed with garden goers, eager to take in the cherry blossoms in peak bloom. Picnic blankets were strewn across the lawn as friends and couples of all ages relaxed in the serene scene, laughing, playing cards, munching on snacks, and taking naps. Some, like Emmeline Bien-Aime, celebrated her 63rd birthday in style at the garden, wearing a beautiful floral dress and a crown made of real flowers. 

“I knew the cherry blossoms would be looking their best, so I wanted to do my best to dress for the occasion,” said Bien-Aime. 

A groom twirls his bride to be before their ceremony took place after the Brooklyn Botanic Garden closed for the day. April 30th, 2022. Photo by Frank Festa

A woman cosplaying as a Geisha poses underneath the cherry blossoms’ natural shade. April 30th, 2022. Photo by Frank Festa

Siblings Eddie and Sarah play ‘keep it up’ with a volleyball, trying their best to not stumble into anyone. April 30th, 2022. Photo by Frank Festa

Emmeline Bien-Aime wanted to celebrate her 63rd birthday in style at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in an outfit rivaling the beauty of the newly bloomed cherry blossoms. Her name means ‘beloved.’ April 30th, 2022. Photo by Frank Festa

A young family commemorates the blooming cherry blossoms by taking a selfie with their newborn. April 30th, 2022. Photo by Frank Festa

A young man busts a move for a TikTok, unashamed and laughing all the while. April 30th, 2022. Photo by Frank Festa

Larry B, who comes to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden every weekend to do his crossword puzzles, was mesmerized by the blooming Cherry Blossoms. “Once a year they’re this beautiful,” he said. “I think it helps my game for sure.” April 30th, 2022. Photo by Frank Festa

Siyu and her family introduce their newborn daughter to new smells and sights on Saturday afternoon. They’ve been coming every weekend for weeks waiting for the cherry blossoms to be in peak bloom. April 30th, 2022. Photo by Frank Festa

The post Peak Cherry Blossom bloom brings New Yorkers out in droves to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

The post The fight to end cash bail In Philadelphia continues appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

“While billionaires are making more and more money, regular New Yorkers are struggling with eviction, or struggling with foreclosure, or struggling to pay for health care,” said Williams. “That ain’t right.”

Standing alongside running mate for lieutenant governor Ana Maria Archila and advocates, he led supporters in a recurring chant to ‘tax the rich.’ 

The wealthy are getting more wealthy and those struggling are struggling even more. It’s not by accident, it’s by design. @JumaaneWilliams speaks on the importance of the wealthy paying their fair share this #TaxDay pic.twitter.com/EUirMEQRWe

— act.tv (@actdottv) April 18, 2022

In the two years since the Covid-19 pandemic began, billionaires in the United States grew 57% richer, adding $1.7 trillion to their worth, according to the policy advocacy group Americans for Tax Fairness. This accumulation of wealth has contributed to a growing chorus of politicians and citizens calling for some form of wealth tax, including President Joe Biden. Part of his 2023 federal budget released this past March included a federal wealth tax proposal, which Biden claimed could reduce that years’ budget deficit by $360 billion. 

On April 7, the current New York governor and lawmakers reached an agreement on a $220 billion budget for the state. Touted as ‘historic’ for an array of bolstered investments in key areas such as healthcare, housing tax breaks, and education, the budget is underscored by her kept promise of no new taxes on the state’s wealthiest residents – a missed opportunity, according to Williams. 

“They (regular New Yorkers) are suffering because we have a budget by this governor who would rather give nearly a billion dollars to the Buffalo Bills,” said Williams, citing the $1.4 billion deal for the football teams’ new stadium – $850 million of which will use state and local funds. “This is not about yelling at people for being successful; this is about asking people to pay their fair share, to make a New York for the many, not for the few.”

Francisco Tecaxco, a DACA recipient from Mexico and organizer with the Queens nonprofit New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE) who rallied with Williams, believes redistributing wealth can give marginalized communities sorely needed resources. 

“We’re recovering from a pandemic, everybody’s paying their fair share, and the rich are not, which is just extremely unfair,” said Tecaxco. 

Activists from the Queens nonprofit New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE) rally alongside gubernatorial candidate Jumaane Williams to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans. Photo by Frank Festa

He’s emboldened in his work by previous success advocating for the excluded workers fund, which allocated $2.1 billion last year in aid for undocumented immigrant workers in New York. Tecaxco believes momentum is on their side, and recent data would suggest that he’s right – a memo released this morning by the progressive think tank Data for Progress cited polling that showed two-thirds of likely voters overall and more than half of Republicans think the wealthiest Americans are not presently paying enough in taxes. 

Some of the nations’ richest are beginning to agree as well, such as Morris Pearl, who is chairman of the board of Patriotic Millionaires, a group of millionaires and billionaires advocating for more equitable tax policy. Among a constellation of policies the group champions, Pearl believes a higher capital gains tax on investment earnings is one of the most achievable policies in circulation. 

“The simplest reason (that this is a priority) is that investors have lower tax rates by law than working people. You know, if you make $100,000, you’ll be paying a couple of grand a month in taxes. If I make $100,000 selling investments, I pay zero,” said Pearl. 

According to a CNBC survey, almost half of the millionaires polled would support a higher capital gains tax and more than half support some sort of wealth tax on those worth $10 million or more. 

“We need to have rich investors like me pay at least the same tax rates as people who work for a living, not the far lower tax rates that are currently the case,” said Pearl.

The post Democratic New York gubernatorial candidate Jumaane Williams rallies to ‘tax the rich’ appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

Jarvis, 36, sees the potential self-sufficiency for marginalized communities like Canarsie that the state’s newly legal cannabis economy could create, drawing inspiration from how Rastafari revitalized their communities.

Floyd Jarvis, 36, is a Canarsie community leader planning to apply for a retail adult-use cannabis dispensary license this summer. Photo courtesy of Floyd Jarvis

“Illicit legacy market operators were able to open up stores, open up schools, buy houses, and fortify their neighborhoods – at home and abroad. Now, with government backing, we should be able to do 10 times more,” said Jarvis. 

His nonprofit is preparing to apply for a retail adult-use dispensary license made available as part of New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s Seeding Opportunity Initiative, announced March 10. Promoted as the ‘first’ of its kind in the country, the initiative seeks to award the first 100 retail adult-use cannabis dispensary licenses to individuals like Jarvis with cannabis-related criminal records, or their immediate relatives. The initiative is particularly noteworthy for the proposed $200 million fund it would create to support the entrepreneurs’ new businesses. 

“‘It’s an incredible and unique opportunity to create an industry that is grounded entirely in the principles of equity, restorative justice, and sustainability,” said former NY state senator Jen Metzger, who was an initial co-sponsor of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). 

She’s now a member of the Cannabis Control Board, which will oversee and develop the state’s cannabis market. Fifty years after President Richard Nixon declared the War on Drugs in 1971, New York became the 15th state to legalize recreational use of marijuana on March 31, 2021. The application portal for cultivator’s licenses officially opened on March 15 of this year, and Metzger believes the state will begin awarding retail licenses in early summer and that dispensaries will begin operating before the end of the year. 

New York’s cannabis industry is projected to generate upwards of $350 billion in tax revenue over the next six years. Similar social equity initiatives across the country have been criticized for advantaging big companies, logistical complications, and a lack of consistent support once equity applicants are licensed, with notable lawsuits in states such as Arizona, Illinois, and California – miscues New York is hoping to learn from and mitigate. 

“I want to applaud the Office of Cannabis Management for the initiative, as well as allowing the distressed farmers to get first dibs on growing,” said Jarvis, “We just need to be aware of any type of dog whistle politics that would signal a Drug War 2.0, because that’s not what we’re gonna have happen.”

Recent–and historical–data abound with proof of New York City’s discriminatory cannabis-related law enforcement. In the year before cannabis was legalized recreationally, 94% of all marijuana-related arrests impacted people of color. To put that figure into perspective, of the 60,000 individual cannabis-related arrests made a few years earlier between 2014 and 2016, 86% were either Black or Latino. 

Certain state politicians, such NY State Senator Chris Borrello, have raised concerns that the initiative may go beyond prioritizing applicants directly impacted by cannabis prohibition. Once the first 100 retail dispensary licenses are awarded, the state will continue to prioritize social equity applicants from marginalized communities most affected by the War on Drugs. 

Jim Charon, 59, inside the Syracuse Hemporium in upstate New York. He started the CBD Wellness Center   in 2018. Photo courtesy of Jim Charon.

One such applicant is Jim Charon, the Puerto Rican, Brooklyn-bred owner of a CBD wellness center called the Syracuse Hemporium in upstate New York. When painkillers no longer relieved Charon’s chronic shoulder pain, he followed the lead of his wife Stacey and became a medical marijuana patient in 2016. The switch enabled Charon, 59, to return to his active lifestyle, running in five Tough Mudder races since. His experience in part inspired him to open the Syracuse Hemporium in 2018. 

“I was looking for something to bring in some income, as well as an alternative to our medicine program because it was too expensive and didn’t have products that were sufficient for us. So I ended up starting my own business,” he said. .

Charon, 59, hopes obtaining a retail license will aid him in expanding the Syracuse Hemporium and further his goal of helping others see the value in the drug that radically altered the quality of his life. 

“It’s a healthcare issue,” said Charon when asked about his support for legalization. “It’s also about removing the stigma that’s based around it, because it’s something that’s been used for centuries, and it’s just another commodity that’s been taken and used as a discriminatory device against people.”

The post Seeding Opportunity Initiative seeks to build equity in NY’s cannabis industry appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

“When the pandemic hit, our company and many other trucking companies was hit with a lot of work. It’s been that way the whole time. The supply chain is already slow. They don’t need to keep stepping on our necks,” said Bullard. 

Last month, Canadian truckers converged on the capital city of Ottawa and blocked international transit routes to protest a January vaccination mandate for truckers crossing the border. American truckers sought to do the same, eager for an opportunity to expedite the end of covid-era regulations and express their displeasure with the state of the country. 

Several convoys of truckers sprang up across the US over the last several weeks intending to drive to D.C. in time for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address this past Tuesday, March 1. The groups, however, have failed to gain significant traction, while some have already turned around and headed home.  

Some truckers, like Bullard, support the protests but are apprehensive to participate while operating a truck that belongs to the company they work for out of fear for their jobs. Bullard thinks the nature of his work makes a mandate illogical. 

“I spend 95% of my time alone in my truck, and the other 5%, I interact with the shipper and receiver and logistics people. So it doesn’t make sense for me to be mandated to get the vaccine. And that pretty much goes for any other truck driver,” said Bullard. 

But some Americans are confused by a protest about mandates that no longer exist.

I don’t pretend to understand the freedom trucker convoy…mask mandates are gone and there isn’t a vaccine mandate. Gas is high, and driving across the country using fuel while not delivering anything seems wasteful, but not my circus.

— Piper for Missouri (@piper4missouri) March 1, 2022

Just saw that the anti mask trucker convoy is coming to Ohio. My question is Why?

Ohio doesn’t have mask mandates. I literally just went to the store and I was the only 1 wearing a mask. (I don’t care if people stare)

Canada doesn’t want you. Neither do I

— Positive Vibes Only 💙 (@FootCleve) March 2, 2022

The most notable convoy en route to the American capital, The People’s Convoy, left California on February 23rd and is aiming to gather supporters in the nation’s capital this week. The People Convoy’s Facebook group, which boasts 263,000 members, has been posting regularly with progress updates and videos from participating truckers and supporters rallying by the roadside. Organizers of the convoy could not be reached for comment. Several media outlets, including The New York Times and The Boston Globe, have reported that participants and supporters of the trucker convoys have far-right ties. 

As of yesterday The People’s Convoy was in Indiana.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The People’s Convoy (@thepeoplesconvoyusa)

And the rally in Washington on the day of the State of the Union speech  frizzled out. About 12 people reportedly showed up.

Wow, this huge ‘Freedom Convoy’ trucker rally in DC is lit. Really making a bold statement. Three weeks of hype from Steve Bannon every day. For this? From @FordFischer pic.twitter.com/UQDLAqdSSq

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) March 1, 2022

According to the American Trucking Association, between 50-60% of American truckers are fully vaccinated, a figure just below the national vaccination rate of 65% as of February 26. The vaccination mandate for truckers crossing the border that originally spurred the Canadian protests has now become part of a larger list of grievances shared by protestors and their supporters: Government overreach, woke culture, President Biden’s liberal agenda, and the false notion that former President Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election, to name a few. 

“Plain and simple, the midterms are on the way, and Republican or Democrat, people are starting to wake up and realize these restrictions are too much,” said Bullard. 

The American convoy’s of truckers received encouragement from certain Republican lawmakers in recent weeks, including Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. In an interview with The Daily Caller, Senator Paul said he was ‘all for the protests,’ adding that, “civil disobedience is a time-honored tradition in our country, from slavery to civil rights, to you name it. Peaceful protest, clog things up, make people think about the mandates.”

Senator Paul’s office could not be reached for comment. 

The protests are set to begin amid a countrywide rollback of vaccination requirements to enter businesses and mask mandates in schools, including in D.C. Still, truckers like Bullard are hoping that the convoys can put pressure on American lawmakers to expedite the end of pandemic-era restrictions. 

Bullard has communicated with other truckers on Twitter and elsewhere to express solidarity with the American protests. He’s set to return to his home in Florida later this week and remains undecided if he will travel by car to the capital to join.  

“I don’t know how long they plan on staying in DC, if I do make that drive. But there’s a convoy leaving from Miami I think, so maybe I’ll be able to join them. Either way they have my support,” said Bullard. 

The post US truckers protest convoy sputters appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

Deyshawn Clarke, a Brooklyn mathematics teacher in the Uncommon Schools Charter network, had one word to describe his school’s return from winter break: Bananas. 

“A lot of our teachers had it during break, and a lot had it even two or three weeks ago when we were first coming back,” said Clarke. “We only had about 40 (of roughly 250 overall) students in person that first week back because parents were either afraid to send them to school or they already had Covid and were quarantining.” 

Between covering classes, contact tracing students, and beginning to prepare students for state testing, Clarke feels torn between safety and believing in-person learning is most beneficial for everyone involved. In accordance with new shortened quarantine guidance from the CDC, some of Clarke’s colleague’s returned to work while still positive with Covid. 

“The guidance is constantly changing, people are confused and frustrated, it’s a lot to keep up with. We’re doing a good job staying positive, but it’s definitely been exhausting,” said Clarke. 

Dr. Jen Jennings, a professor and education researcher at Princeton’s School of Public & International Affairs, utilized New York State’s Covid Report Card to gauge the severity of Omicron’s impact in New York City through the first three weeks of the new year. Her analyses revealed that between January 4 and 21, 18.1% of staff contracted Covid-19 – three times the New York City’s rate of infection in the general population. 

🧵1. NYCDOE Schools COVID Update

Let's take stock for this month
⚠️10.5% kids & 18.1% staff infected btw Jan 4-21

➡️Kids rate = 1.75x NYC rate (which was 6%)
➡️Staff rate= 3x NYC rate

1/ pic.twitter.com/iTeJRg7CwK

— Dr. Jen Jennings (@eduwonkette_jen) January 24, 2022

While increased testing prompted by new Mayor Eric Adam’s aim to bolster the ‘nation’s largest in-school surveillance program’ provides context for the prevalence of viral spread, it does little to mitigate future infection. 

“It’s a surveillance measure, it provides a sense of what the data look like. But it’s not a mitigation measure, it’s not going to get very far in terms of actually, you know, identifying and quickly isolating cases before they spread,” said Jennings.

A Box fan with filters duct taped to the sides was provided to special education teacher Stacy Barrantes to help circulate air in her classroom. Photo courtesy of Stacy Barrantes

While no setting has been spared, under-resourced schools have borne the brunt of Omicron’s spread with less at their disposal to effectively combat it. Stacy Barrantes, a first year special education teacher at a Northern New Jersey public school, has felt keeping her kids safe has been largely up to her.

“The first day we got back from break I found a big fan with, like, a bunch of filters attached to it in my room that was supposed to help us circulate air in our rooms, which was crazy,” she said. “A lot of teachers are mad. A lot of the attitude among staff, like anyone you talk to, has been let’s just get to Christmas, let’s just get through the week. You could feel the stress of who’s going to have to quarantine next?” 

Even though Barrantes’ school offered an option for remote learning the first week after winter break, four students chose to return in person while still positive with Covid. One of her colleagues broke down in tears confiding in her about how disrespected and daunted the task at hand seems. 

“It’s like a lose-lose situation for us right now,” Barrantes said. “Everybody wants and expects different things and we’re trying our best – I’m a team player and am trying to help out however I can. But it’s been scary for sure and exhausting trying to keep everyone safe and happy.” 

The post Omicron spoils the return to school from winter break appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

“People are getting really high quality food that, you know, in certain parts of the city is just inaccessible,” said Azad John-Salimi, one of Collective Focus’s volunteers. 

In a city lauded for its expansive dining scene, 1.2 million New Yorkers were relying on emergency food programs before the pandemic, according to City Harvest. At the peak of the Covid-19 plight, those classifying as food insecure – defined as struggling with sufficient access to nutritional, affordable food – surged 36% to the historic high of 1.5 million NYC residents. Throughout the nearly two years of turmoil, organizations and advocates across the five boroughs have rallied to bridge gaps in access for as many residents as possible. 

As of November 30th, Collective Focus has distributed over 72,000 pounds of food in 2021 – on Tuesday mornings alone. Every Tuesday morning, five pallets full of produce and shelf-stable goods are delivered from Driscoll Foods as part of the city’s Pandemic Food Reserve Emergency Distribution Program (P-FRED), which supplies food to pantries and access centers across the city. 

“The ongoing thing that’s on a daily basis are our four fridges outside of the building, they’re filled multiple times a week, not just once a week,” said John-Salimi. 

Collective Focus, which opened near the beginning of the pandemic, offers a variety of services to the community, including free clothing and books, art classes, and skill-based workshops.

“We’re really sensitive to different dietary preferences. So we have, you know, a meat fridge, we have a vegan fridge. We understand that people that are houseless have the same preferences and needs and restrictions or whatever that we do,” said John-Salimi. 

While those struggling with food access are not confined solely to low-income and marginalized communities, these areas are most likely to be without easily accessible large supermarkets or sustainable options. Neighborhoods like the South Bronx, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Brownsville in Brooklyn, East Harlem, and East New York have long been considered some of the most severe food deserts in the city. 

Residents who are food insecure often make tough decisions between competing obligations, like paying rent or going out of their way for something more nourishing. Access hinges on multiple factors, but financial resources always come into play. 

“If you have the funds, then you have diversity in your diet. If you don’t have the money, you don’t have diversity, you have to go with what is available,” said Dr. Lewis Ziska, a plant physiologist from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. “And typically, what’s available are sort of the low cost, high carb, often processed food, that while it may feed you, it’s going to have some negative health effects from everything from heart disease to diabetes.”

Ziska believes that the issue remains obscure for many Americans because of who is typically afflicted. The stigmatization of relying on supplemental food assistance mirrors the broader national mythology about the character of poor people of color. 

“The numbers don’t convey the poignancy of going hungry,” said Ziska. “If you’re dark skinned and you’re hungry, it’s because you’re not working hard.”  

With more people than ever visiting food pantries – by some estimates, 28% of all New Yorkers visited a food pantry at least once during the pandemic – advocates are optimistic that the food insecurity narrative can become more realistic. 

“There’s a lot of blame on the community versus on the people who plan out these things. People will eat what’s available to them. If there’s a McDonald’s across the street, why would I travel to a sandwich shop or farther away to go get a salad?” said Tiana Rainford, the youth program coordinator for East New York Farms. 

A volunteer awaits visitors to distribute fresh, locally grown vegetables at the East New York Farmers’ Market. Photo courtesy of East New York Farms

The organization believes access to food is a social justice issue and seeks to fill the gap in resources in East New York by putting power in the hands of those in need. With an all-encompassing, community-centric approach, East New York Farms operates two, half-acre farms and two community gardens, while also hosting farmers markets and food distributions. Everything grown in their Pink Houses Community Farm, located in the Pink Houses public housing project, is distributed for free. Part of their mission is to empower the community through youth programming, information sessions of food justice and sustainable agriculture, as well as offering garden assistancxe and composting  projects.

“We also provide resources for residents to independently grow crops that they feel connected to,” said Rainford. 

She noted that many in East New York are Caribbean and seek to grow culturally-relevant fruits and vegetables that can be hard to find in the city such as bitter melon, okra, and hot peppers. 

“The neighborhoods that are considered food deserts are low income, minority neighborhoods, where resources aren’t coming into these neighborhoods. We’re getting like the last of everything,” said Rainford.  

Those who are food insecure are living in the broader context of the enormous volume of food being wasted by fellow New Yorkers. The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates that 68% of all food waste discarded was considered still edible, and the average household in the city wasted 8.4 pounds of food per week. Pantries like NY Common Pantry, which has been serving Harlem for nearly 40 years, stayed open throughout the pandemic to offer as much support as possible. 

“We have a really big disconnect between the amount of food we throw away and food waste and the amount of food we need to feed our neighbors,” said Deana Murtha, Senior Director of Development and Communications. I mean, we’ve had, since the start of the pandemic, we’ve had almost 7500 new people come to us.”

NY Common Pantry’s mobile pantry sets up shop. The truck tours the city five days a week and seeks to bridge gaps in access. Photo courtesy of NY Common Pantry

While timelines for the development of new grocery options in these neighborhoods can be uncertain and the pandemic’s constraints on mobility, NY Common Pantry looked to expand their services beyond their brick-and-mortar pantries. Early in the pandemic, they started a mobile pantry that continues to tour around the city five days a week. 

“If you were to sign up for the mobile pantry, and you were in your neighborhood, when you go to get your groceries, you can also talk to a social worker, or you can talk to a case manager who can help you get those benefits that you need,” said Murtha.

The post Groups across the city continue to combat food insecurity appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

“We are going to be screaming and shouting for love today,” said Davis, 53. 

The DJ booth was situated just past the mile nine marker of the New York City Marathon. Davis believes the marathon is an ideal opportunity to spread positivity. 

“We have so much fun, we come out here every year,” said Davis. “There’s so much love in the city, in this neighborhood right here. We’re gonna be out here all day, live performances a little later, celebrating a birthday, a bunch of runners we’re supporting – the energy gets explosive.”

A current resident of Cambria Heights, Queens, Davis was raised in the Lafayette Gardens Housing Project and keeps close ties to the community there, considering it home. Amid the looming specter of Covid-19, Davis’s role in keeping spirits high on the corner of Classon Avenue and Lafayette Avenue has taken on added significance. 

“We’ve got Rudy Charles right now at the 13th mile marker that we’re tracking closely, he’s got a good chance. It’s his 6th race, he’s running for the few people he lost due to Covid-19,” said Davis. “Everybody’s running for something.”

Flagged by friend Rahim Deas filming close up shots for a Facebook livestream, Davis worked  his way up and down taped-off Lafayette Avenue. He mingled with onlookers hoisting signs, striking up conversations that leave the other person smiling a little wider, and is pulled away every other moment by someone needing his attention. He’s getting constant updates as to how the runners they’re supporting are progressing. Presently, Lydia Gonzales is of the utmost concern. 

“We’re tracking where everybody’s at, but have been waiting to go crazy for Lydia,” said Davis. “Her husband Patrick died just last week from Covid-19. They run this race every year, so we really want to make sure we show up for her today.” 

When news came that Gonzales was just two blocks away, Davis hustled back to the tent where the six-foot tall speakers were, letting his friend behind the Macbook know to cut the music when he gave the signal. 

As Gonzales appeared in the distance, Davis led the crowd on both sides of the street in chanting her name.  

“LY-DI-A! LY-DI-A! LY-DI-A!”

When she arrived in front of Lafayette Gardens, Davis and others dipped under the caution tape and spilled into the street, swarming Gonzales, showering her with love. She lingered for a moment, beaming and soaking in the support before trudging onward, 17 miles to go. 

“This has a purpose,” said Davis. “When you show love, nothing can beat it. Nothing can beat the love going on out here today.”

The post Bobo brings good vibes for a good cause at the mile nine marker appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

“There’s something special about when the community has empowerment to make change,” said Chantay Love, the Director of the nonprofit Every Murder is Real (EMIR). “But they have to be able to have the resources to make that happen.” 

EMIR received a $760,000 grant as part of the program, which will enable them to expand their trauma-informed services to more of those devastated in the wake of gun violence. ‘EMIR’ has a double meaning as an acronym; it’s also meant to honor Love’s brother, Emir Greene, who was lost to gun violence on March 26, 1997 at just 20 years old. 

“There’s a hierarchy of homicide,” said Love, who said her family had extensive difficulty finding support services of all kinds after Emir’s murder. “That made us decide that everybody should be served. The people that are left behind are collateral damage, and they should not be judged based on what might have occurred.” 

According to Love, the number of individuals EMIR served during the pandemic inflated by 200%, a dramatic surge correlated with the rise in gun violence over the same period of time in Philadelphia and across the country. 

Data from the office of  the City Controller  details a 40% increase in homicides from 2019 to 2020. Thus far in 2021, there have been 435 homicides – 14% more than this time last year – and over 1,700 shooting victims in total. 

“This is a moral thing,” said Love.  “Leaders on the ground should be funded to do this type of work, because most of the time, they’re doing it out of their heart and passion. They’re not going to leave, no matter who’s elected or running for office.” 

Philadelphia has been criticized for not treating the gun violence epidemic with the urgency community members believe is necessary. Though 2021’s city budget dedicates the most money on record to address gun violence, only $68 million represents new spending. 

Atif Bostic, Executive Director of Uplift Workforce Solutions, councils a young member of the program. Uplift Workforce Solutions received a $150,000 grant as part of Philadelphia’s new anti-violence program. Photo courtesy of Uplift Workforce Solutions

Atif Bostic, another Philadelphia native, is the Executive Director of Uplift Workforce Solutions, which received a $150,000 grant. The nonprofit supports formerly incarcerated juveniles in their reintegration process by developing skills that make them attractive candidates and help them remain employed once a job is secured. 

“How do we make sure they’re successful, and that we don’t have to ever see them again? Not that we don’t want to – we just don’t want to bring them back into the system,” said Bostic. 

He believes that focusing solely on job placement would set the young people they serve up for failure.  

“We look at the root causes of why people go into crime and why those who are incarcerated recidivate, and try to drill down on those areas,” said Bostic. “Because a lot of times, this population is relegated to neighborhoods that are under resourced, low access, and are over policed.”

Uplift takes a comprehensive approach to workforce development, including support navigating services for housing and childcare, cognitive behavioral therapy, organizing cohorts to reinforce positive relationships, and weekly stipends.

“We’re aiming for sustainability, and the first part of that is creating stability,” said Bostic. “And once we connect them to their future selves, we’re able to move them away from their past behavior.”

The $22 million earmarked for nonprofits combating gun violence specifically represents a dramatic increase in direct aid from previous initiatives, like the $700,000 in grants awarded by the city in 2019. 

Philadelphia hopes to award the remaining grants by mid-November, with a total of 212 nonprofits in contention for capacity-altering funding. Additional first round grant recipients include:

• New Options More Opportunities will receive $1 million to open a neighborhood service location in South Philadelphia, which will also provide housing for youth to combat youth homelessness. 
• ManUpPHL’ received a  $242,768 grant to expand their mentoring program for young men between the ages of 18 and 35. 
• Beyond the Bars, a nonprofit that uses youth music programming as a way to mitigate violence, will use their $117,150 grant to build eight full recording studios throughout the city. 

The post Philadelphia begins awarding $22 million in grants for anti-violence initiatives appeared first on Pavement Pieces.