Author: tourist_yp6g7u

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso convened a gathering at Bed-Stuy’s Restoration Plaza on March 24 to announce the release of a new report that issues suggestions about how New Yorkers can continue to enjoy living in the city as they grow older.

The report is the product of the Age-friendly Brooklyn Task Force, which was first put together by Mayor Eric Adams when he served as Brooklyn’s borough president. Working together with the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM)—and using NYAM’s “Age-friendly Brooklyn: Findings and Recommendations” report from 2019 as a starting point––the task force came up with 10 recommendations that would help make New York City more enjoyable for people of all ages.

It’s no secret that New York City can be a challenging place to live. The physical challenges of subway stairwells and living among constant street congestion, noises, and pollution emissions; on top of the emotional and financial tolls of health care, high living expenses, the potential of social isolation and worries about financial security can make living here burdensome for a person of any age. 

Our city’s elders got together to strategize about ways the city can make it easier to deal with the pressures. 

Members of organizations like Age-friendly Central Brooklyn, Bay Ridge Age-friendly Project, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn-wide Interagency Council on Aging (BWICA), Catholic Charities POP Development Corporation, Chinese American Planning Council, Citymeals on Wheels, Good Neighbors of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, and GRIOT Circle were among many who helped form the Age-friendly Brooklyn Task Force.

“We can improve health outcomes and expand opportunities for all adults,” assured Borough President Reynoso. “As our borough rapidly grows, and our aging community continues to increase, we must make sure it does so equitably––and that means providing the housing, infrastructure, and resources that encourage health, comfort, and opportunities for our older adults.

The report’s recommendations were the city prioritize:

1. Housing: Expand and promote housing options for older adults, including supportive housing, grandparent housing, and home sharing options.
2. Outdoor Spaces: Ensure safe, clean, and well-maintained sidewalks and safe, well-lit intersections in neighborhoods.
3. Transportation: Provide training to MTA bus drivers and rideshare drivers on working with older riders and/or riders with disabilities.
4. Access to Information: Expand access to information about news, events, health services, and public benefits.
5. Digital Access: Increase digital accessibility and literacy for older adults, including an expansion of computer and technology classes.
6. Language Access: Expand language access for mental health services.
7. Expanded Partnerships: Establish opportunities for private and public partnerships, including “Adopt-an-Older-Adult Center” programs.
8. Employment: Increase employment opportunities that fit the diverse vocational needs of older adults.
9. Arts & Culture: Increase opportunities and funding for programming at cultural institutions, community centers and spaces, and faith-based organizations.
10. Volunteerism: Cultivate and promote opportunities for volunteerism.

“I am an aging advocate. I am an aging disruptor. I am a member of one of––I think––the baddest and the best aging improvement districts in all of New York state,” bragged Assembly Member Stefani Zinerman when she came to speak before those in attendance. 

Zinerman represents New York’s 56th state assembly district, which covers Bedford-Stuyvesant and portions of Crown Heights. 

Elana Kieffer, director at the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) Center for Healthy Aging, lauded the elders from Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy neighborhood who, she said,  are “the vanguard of the age-friendly neighborhoods movement. There are about 15 other age-friendly neighborhood organizations across New York City that really looks to Bed Stuy, and hope to replicate your achievements and your work and your progress and your successes right here, and we’re really, truly honored to be standing here today and to be among you all.”

Assembly Member Zinerman noted that her predecessor, former Assemblyman and City Council Member Al Vann, was the city council member who helped NYAM start the first aging improvement district.

“The reason why this report is so important is because the most important people in the world were at the table,” Zinerman said. “The older adults in this community and throughout Brooklyn stood up and said ‘We are going to be respected. We are going to be included.’ And, in the words of Shirley Chisholm, we’re going to pull our chair up to the table, take a seat, and tell everybody what it is that we need. And so, we already know what to do. We brought the best resources to the table, now it is about the implementation: it is about the next steps.”

The post Age-friendly Brooklyn report is a model for healthy aging in NYC appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here

It is common to feel overwhelmed by the obstacles of life, causing strong emotions in adults and children. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stress can be a main factor in physical and mental health, resulting in changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests; worsening of chronic health problems; increased use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances; difficulty sleeping, and much more. 

During times of extreme stress, many even find themselves stuck in suicidal thoughts. However, you are not alone. There are resources to help tackle these negative outcomes, thanks to a variety of mental health resources throughout the tri-state, including New Jersey’s 24-hour mental health hotline services, which are available to anyone and everyone: 

NJ HopeLine, 855-654-6735 

NJ Mental Health Cares, 866-202-4357; email, help@njmentalhealthcares.org 

Veterans Counseling Hotline, 866-838-7654

The post April is Stress Awareness Month appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here

Friday-Saturday, April 14th-15th, 10:00AM-8:00PM,  The 11th Annual Black Comic Book Festival at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture,  Lenox Avenue and 135th Street, for ages 13 to 18 years.
The Schomburg Center’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival celebrates the rich tradition of Black comix featuring panel discussions, film screenings, a cosplay show, and exhibit tables with premiere independent Black comic creators from across the United States.  The 11th Anniversary pop-up will now fully be virtual this month with an exhibit afterwards.  More details and the full schedule can be found on the Schomburg site: LINK

* This article was originally published here

Harlem Bespoke: We finally got a few really good photos of the new Studio Museum facade designed by world renowned architect David Adjaye.  The building started rising last year and the facade started coming together at the end of this past winter season.  This location by Adam Clayton Powell is actually the same address of the previous building which was demolished to make way for a larger museum space. So when will everything finish up?  An older poster on the plywood out front mentioned Winter 2022 but that date was set before the pandemic hit.  With that said, probably Winter 2023 might be a possibility and the museum should be open sometimes in the first half of 2024 or so.  Check out our past post for the original rendering: LINK

* This article was originally published here

NEW YORK (AP) — An electric bicycle powered by a lithium ion battery is being blamed for a fatal fire on Monday in New York City that killed two children, marking the latest in a string of e-bike-related fires in the city.

FDNY Chief of Department John Hodgens said it took his firefighters only three minutes to arrive at the Astoria, Queens home. However, with the fast-moving nature of e-bike fires and the fact the bike was being charged near the front entrance of the multi-family building, the victims “didn’t have a chance to get out of the building” given the intense fire that quickly traveled up the stairs to a second-floor apartment.

“So we got here very quickly. And if this was not a bike fire, most likely we would have been able to put this fire out without incident. But the way these fires occur, it’s like an explosion of fire,” he told reporters outside the burned home. “It’s an ongoing problem. We implore everybody to please be very careful and aware of the danger of these devices.”

With Monday’s fire, there have been five fire-related deaths so far this year in New York City where officials have said the cause of the blaze was an e-bike. So far, there have been 59 e-bike-related fires this year. Last year there were six e-bike-related fatalities.

Hodgens said a father and his six children were inside the second-story apartment just before 2 p.m. when the fire occurred. The father and three of his children were able to jump from a window to safety. The mother was not at home at the time of the fire.

Hodgens said it appears an extension cord was running from the upper apartment down to what fire officials believe was an after-market charger for the bike, which was parked in the vestibule of the building. Hodgens said while the bike was being charged in this case, there have been other fires involving bikes not being charged at the time.

Electric bikes have become popular, non-gasoline-burning ways to make deliveries, commute and zip around a city that has promoted cycling in recent decades.

New York City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh urged residents to follow all manufacturer safety guidelines and recommendations for e-bikes.

“We are also calling on our federal, state and local partners to move quickly on regulations that will help ensure tragedies like today’s fire are prevented,” she said in a statement. “We are heartbroken for the family of these victims.”

The post 2 children killed in latest NYC e-bike fire; 4 survive blaze appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here