Savona Bailey-McClain and director and choreographer Hilary Brown-Istrefi have discussed this lost ballet Horse Power for 24 months. Now, with Diego Rivera designing the costumes, this work has been revitalized in West Harlem. Horses full of steam deconstructs to reimagine visual and topical elements from the almost forgotten 1932 ballet symphony, H.P. (Horse Power), with…
The federal energy assistance program that helps New Yorkers with low incomes stay cool in the summer has run out of funds, just 24 days into what’s projected to be a record-breaking summer season.
The program, known as the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), is administered by the state and city and provides emergency and non-emergency cooling services for years to tens of thousands of seniors and households with low incomes. However, on July 14, the New York State Office of Temporary Disability Assistance (OTDA) stated that it would not be accepting new applications for assistance this summer due to the exhaustion of cooling assistance funds.
“We’re frustrated because we’ve been saying that the cooling assistance program has needed more money for a very long time, and the cooling assistance funding has run out before,” says Sonal Jessel, director of Policy for WE ACT for Environmental Justice, a nonprofit advocacy organization. “And so, how come we’re not learning from mistakes?”
The funding for LIHEAP had been instrumental in providing eligible low-income New Yorkers and seniors and people with documented medical conditions, who are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, with a one-time installation of an air conditioner or fan. Many community organizations and city agencies have advocated for the program to go further by providing additional support for paying energy bills during the summer.
“One A/C often isn’t enough for a family of four, for example,” Jessel says. “You’re picking the room to be cool in.” New Jersey, by comparison, provides a $300 subsidy for LIHEAP participants to pay utility bills, “so we know it can be done,” she adds.
Extreme heat poses a significant health risk, particularly to people in marginalized communities. Heat-related illnesses are deadlier than extreme floods, hurricanes, and storms combined — with mortality rates more than twice as high among Black New Yorkers and an estimated 350 New Yorkers dying prematurely because of hot weather each year. Neighborhoods that are predominantly Black, brown or poor tend to experience higher temperatures and the least shielding from heat.
To stay safe during the summer, it is important to recognize the symptoms of heat-related illnesses and take prompt action. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends staying hydrated, wearing lightweight, loose-fitting and breathable clothing, and avoiding direct sun exposure during peak hours in the early afternoons. Taking frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas and being mindful of the signs of heat-related illness symptoms is essential for everyone’s well-being during hot weather.
In the last fiscal year, $23 million was allocated to assist 23,936 New York households with cooling, with 8,860 of those households in NYC. This year’s allocation of just $15 million has so far reached 9,722 households, including 3,293 in the city. The decrease in funding has raised concerns among some advocates who argue that more financial support is needed to ensure that vulnerable communities are adequately protected from the dangers of extreme heat.
The cooling component of LIHEAP’s budget makes up just 4% of the program’s total, compared to 50% allocated for heating assistance in cooler months. Efforts by environmental and community advocacy organizations, along with New York City agencies, have been ongoing to increase funding for cooling assistance programs. They have pushed for expanded benefits during the summer, such as providing a small monthly subsidy of $40 from May to September to help low-income New Yorkers better afford air conditioning bills. The city’s health department, among others, has also pushed for the health condition stipulation to be dropped, a requirement that was waived during the pandemic.
Despite efforts to secure additional funding, legislative progress has been slow. Last October, the program received $1 billion in temporary funding, which benefited thousands of New York households. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said at the time that he sought to get an additional $4 billion for the final budget. A bill re-introduced by Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) earlier this year to provide more support for the program remains stalled in the Senate.
“It is unacceptable that New York has already run out of funds for cooling this summer, the hottest on record,” Congressman Bowman told the Amsterdam News. “Funding for LIHEAP is an economic and racial justice issue. Failure to sufficiently fund it will disproportionately impact Black, Latino, and Indigenous households, all of whom already experience higher energy burdens. We hear from constituents in my district every day about their struggle to pay their energy bills, and they deserve relief.”
Jessel says that this isn’t the first time that cooling assistance funds have run out before the end of summer, and the city and state are responsible for stepping in when federal funds aren’t enough to ensure that New Yorkers who need the program are able to stay cool.
“The state has not learned over the years of the money running out that we need more money to support people,” she says. “If it’s running out, that means there’s a need.”
Correction: The story has been corrected to say that those eligible for energy assistance include seniors and people with documented medical conditions exacerbated by high temperatures. The original story stated that eligibility included seniors who have documented medical conditions exacerbated by high temperatures.
By Stephanie Woods Grammy Nominated Rapper, David Brewster, known as Harlem’s own ‘Dave Ea$t‘ recently made some youth extremely happy in Harlem and highly inspired as they received a personal invitation to his merch and apparel store. Road Recovery 1998 and Def Jam Recordings partnered and invited Dave Ea$t to speak with several youth organizations…
As a dangerous heatwave bears down on New York City, LinkNYC today announced a partnership with the NYC Office of Emergency Management and non-profit helpNYC. The goal is to protect New Yorkers from extreme temperatures whenever the City’s heat advisory program, “Code Red,” is activated. LinkNYC kiosks are now broadcasting “Code Red” heat advisories on their…
Wedding rings represent a union of two people in everlasting love and devotion. Wedding planning often includes the selection of the perfect rings, as these will be kept and treasured for many years. With a wide array of options from traditional bands to intricate designs, there is something for every couple’s style and preferences. This…
Harlem‘s 25th Precinct invites you to National Night Out which enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. This event is truly a community effort and it would not be a success…
The Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI), in partnership with the Friends of Art Park Alliance (FAPA) and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. Is hosting its 5th annual AFRIBEMBÉ FESTIVAL: Black to the Future! on Saturday, August. 12, 2023. Offered to families in the New York City area for free, the daylong celebration of Pan-African artistry, intellectuality,…
Mental health issues are something that almost everyone struggles with in this day and age. There are a lot of things that may make anyone’s life difficult, and it is essential to know how to walk away from such things safely. There are a lot of different approaches that experts recommend to the public, and…
The past 50 years have had their share of valley lows regarding hip-hop culture. As we celebrate, let’s also reflect on how and if we’ve grown. It’s fo’ sho’ needed, but are we moving in that direction? Is there a proverbial adult in the room? If someone had injected thought, hindsight, and vision into that volatile cocktail of ego, greed, wealth, and ignorance, maybe, just maybe, some of the biggest travesties for some of the biggest artists in hip-hop could have been averted.
Fans still lament the senseless deaths of Scott La Rock, Freaky Tah, Jam Master Jay, Pac, Big, Nipsy, XXXTentacion, and Pop Smoke amongst an ever-expanding list whose passings are met with a huge question mark—mainly, what would they have gone on to do and how would artistry have been altered had they were still with us?
Imagine what the night of August 11 at Yankee Stadium could have been. What if that date had been the second part of a bicoastal two-night affair that, with Dodger Stadium being the other host, saw a VS-type battle between the Deathrow Records crew and Bad Boy Records? Team Pac vs. Team Big, pitting music and swag against each other? How crazy would that have been? Topping of the night would be headliners D and Run, with Jay manning his spot behind the wheels of steel.
The unfortunate fact is that the streets have no heart, and the beat goes on. Just a thought…now back on brand.
This weekend—Friday, July 28 through Sunday, July 30—marks the inaugural presentation of the Harlem Festival of Culture (HFC). The lofty long-term goal of the three-day music festival, taking place on Randalls Island, is to become the premiere celebration of Black music and Black culture. It will be hosted in year one by hip-hop legend MC Lyte, celebrating the heritage and vibrant cultural mosaic of Harlem. The star-studded line-up will showcase live performances by musicians, artists, and performers hailing from the iconic neighborhood and beyond.
Thus far, the projected lineup is:
Day 1: Friday, July 28
Bell Biv DeVoe
Cam’ron
Doug E. Fresh
Ferg
MA$E
Estelle Presents “The LinkUp” featuring Patra, Lumidee, Max Glazer, Mr. Killa, Nadine Sutherland, Nina Sky, Rupee, Serani, Wayne Wonder
Day 2: Saturday, July 29
Jozzy
Major
Muni Long
Teyana Taylor
Tink
Day 3: Sunday, July 30
Adam Blackstone
Coco Jones
Eric Bellinger
Fat Joe
Remy Ma
Ro James
Wyclef Jean
In addition to the music, the festival will include a curated food experience featuring the taste of Harlem and other cultural delights, and the Mart 125 experience, featuring local Harlem-owned businesses. On paper, it looks like we may have something else to bring to the world of Harlem. Team support is of the essence, however, so cop your tickets at Ticketmaster.
The long wait is over, as undefeated unified WBC, WBA, and IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence will take on undefeated WBO welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford this Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The fight will be broadcast on Showtime PPV. Spence and Crawford have been on a collision course since Crawford moved up to 147 lbs in June 2018.
Spence, who has been the IBF welterweight champion since May 2017, said he would face Crawford when he captured the WBC and WBA titles, which he did by defeating Shawn Porter in September 2019 and Yordenis Ugás in April 2022..
Now, boxing fans have the most compelling fight in quite some time. The fight is a tossup; either boxer could emerge victorious. What would be unexpected, however, is an early knockout. The fight is likely to be as entertaining as the first Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury clash in December 2018 or the Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin bout last September. Both had boxing fans and media alike debating who won, with Wilder and Fury ending in a draw and Alvarez defeating Golovkin by a 12-round decision.
On Tuesday, Japanese pugilist Naoya Inoue handed Stephen Fulton the first loss of his career, capturing the WBC and WBO junior featherweight world titles. Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs) floored Funton (21-1, 8 KOs) in the eighth round, and finished the fight in front of his home crowd in Japan. What’s next for the man nicknamed ‘The Monster?’ We will have to wait and see, but if there were any doubts about his abilities, he answered them resoundingly.
There was controversy this past Saturday in Shawnee, Oklahoma, as former unified lightweight world champion George Kambosos Jr. avoided a three-fight losing streak by edging Maxi Hughes in a majority decision. Many boxing pundits and fans believed Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs) won and were dumbfounded by a 117-111 scorecard in favor of Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs). The other cards read 115-113 and 114-114.
“We won the fight by many rounds,” said Kambosos Jr.. “That’s no discredit to Maxi Hughes. He had a couple good rounds. But a couple good rounds don’t win you the fight. We won a majority of the rounds.
“That’s the reason we chose him,” the Australia native continued. “He was a hard test. A lot of guys coming off losses wouldn’t want to take a test like him. This was a hard challenge.”
Hughes expressed his deep disappointment in the outcome. “I’m absolutely devastated,” he acknowledged. “Nobody thought I was supposed to be in George’s league. Tonight, I came and I showed that I should have had my hand raised.”
Hughes then pointed out why he thought he was victorious.
“I used my footwork,” he said. “I made him miss and pay. I landed the cleaner shots. I don’t want to sound like a sore loser, and I will watch it and assess it, but everyone here now knows who Maxi Hughes is.”
