By HWM Last night, while more than 150 climate-driven wildfires in Quebec shrouded New York in thick, toxic smoke, the Senate passed the NY HEAT Act. This legislation would move New York to the fossil fuels responsible for particulate matter, or PM2.5, currently poisoning the air. In the waning days of the session, it’s up to the…
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for NYC initially on Tuesday, June 6th. Today, the advisory has been reissued for all five boroughs due to continued smoke present from the Canadian wildfires.
As of this afternoon, NYC is at an AQI level of 166. This falls into the unhealthy category for AQI, resulting in possible health effects to those breathing in the air.
To give some context, NYC was at an AQI of 21 (good) on Sunday, June 4th. By Monday, June 5th, the city reached an AQI of 144, qualifying as unhealthy for sensitive groups, according to IQAir.
Screenshot from IQAir of AQI levels by the hour in NYC
You can monitor NYC’s live air quality and pollution ranking on IQAir or the Environment and Health Data Portal. Currently, NYC sits as the second worst major city in the world for air quality. Delhi, India is ahead of NYC, with Toronto, Canada following just behind.
According to IQAir, cities in other regions of New York State are experiencing even worse AQI levels: Middletown – 232, Rochester – 288, Ithaca – 281.
The city has requested New Yorkers stay inside or limit outside activities as much as possible. For the elderly and those with heart or breathing problems, it’s advised to wear an N95 or KN95 mask outside.
IQAir forecasts NYC’s air quality to go back down to a moderate pollution level by tomorrow.
For questions, New Yorkers can call the toll-free air quality hotline at 1-800-535-1345. Read more about the current Air Quality Health Advisory here.
It seems wild to think that an employer would not hire someone because of their height or body type, but such is the world we live in. At least in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams recently signed into law a ban on discrimination because of a person’s height or weight in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
“We all deserve the same access to employment, housing, and public accommodation, regardless of our appearance, and it shouldn’t matter how tall you are or how much you weigh,” Adams said at the signing. “When you’re looking for a job, you are out on our town, or you are trying to get some form of accommodation or apartment to rent, you should not be treated differently. It creates more inclusive workplaces and living environments, and it protects against discrimination.”
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) states that “height and weight requirements tend to disproportionately limit the employment opportunities of some protected groups.” Unless employers can demonstrate during the hiring process why they need to know someone’s measurements, it’s technically illegal under federal law to even ask.
“Workers come in all shapes and sizes and that is a good thing,” said Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU).
The bill, Intro. 209-A, was sponsored by Councilmember Shaun Abreu and similarly creates an exemption where a certain height or weight is necessary to “performing essential requirements” of a job.
Adams thanked Abreu for thinking outside the box about real equality in employment. Abreu said he owes an immense debt of gratitude to all the people who shared their stories of dealing with this “silent burden,” the organizations that helped spearhead the campaign that resulted in the bill, and all the advocates who helped push for the bill.
“Size discrimination is a social justice issue and a public health threat,” Abreu said in a statement. “People with different body types are denied access to job opportunities and equal wages—and they have had no legal recourse to contest it. Worse yet, millions are taught to hate their bodies.”
The first wave of body positivity protests began in Central Park in 1967 when about 500 people gathered to call out persistent bias against “fat” people. This led to the founding of the National Association to Aid Fat Americans (NAAFA) in 1969, later renamed the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. The group went on to treat fat phobia in healthcare, employment, and education as a serious civil rights issue, inspired by Black and women-led social justice movements of the time.
“This is such a powerful moment for anyone who has ever faced discrimination simply because of the size of their body,” said Tigress Osborn, co-founder of the Campaign for Size Freedom and NAAFA chair. “When the mayor of one the most iconic cities in the world agrees that size discrimination is unacceptable, it sends a message to leaders all over the country, and all over the world, that creating equal opportunities and accessible communities for people of all sizes should be a priority.”
Osborn added that while attitudes can’t be legislated, people can do everything in their power to ensure that everyone is treated equally and has equal opportunity under the law.
To the criticism that body and fat positivity can be unhealthy, Adams said that he is an avid health advocate. “We are going to continue to talk about our progressive health agenda and science has [shown] that body type is not a connection to [being] healthy or unhealthy. I think that’s a misnomer that we are dispelling,” said Adams.
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.
NYC is home to some of the most iconic buildings in the world–and unfortunately some of the ugliest, like the Verizon building–so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a majority of the most loved buildings in the U.S. reside right in our very city.
Buildworld, a company that provides people with building and construction needs, analyzed Twitter posts of about 6,000 of the world’s most famous landmarks and then used AI to find out which of those received the most praise for their design.
And when it comes to the top ten most loved buildings in the U.S., NYC dominates.
Shutterstock / Nido Huebl
In fact, six of the top ten most loved buildings reside in NYC, and include:
Empire State Building
Flatiron Building
Brooklyn Museum
One World Trade Center
New York Public Library
Chrysler Building
The Empire State Building has received quite a good amount of praise, with 63% of tweets about its design being positive ones. This building comes second only to Fallingwater in Millrun, PA, in which 65.1% of tweets regarding its design are positive.
Not too far away from the ESB is the Flatiron Building, which has garnered 56.5% positive tweets regarding its design, followed by Brooklyn Museum (55.1%), One World Trade Center (51.9%), NYPL (49.5%), and the Chrysler Building (43.9%).
Our analysis shows that architecture fans are enamoured with many of New York City’s most famous buildings, though Lloyd Wright’s iconic Guggenheim Museum does not feature. With 63% of tweets in praise of its Art Deco design, Manhattan’s iconic Empire State Building is America’s second-most loved building. It opened as the world’s tallest building in 1931 and was recognised by the American Institute of Architects as the country’s favourite building in a 2007 poll.
As a small business owner, you understand the grind involved with financing your operations. After all, you’ve had your forays into investing in building your business from the ground up. However, while you had one path to follow as a startup, multiple other paths are branching away for expansion and investment. Perhaps you want to…
Senator Cordell Cleare brought forth a Senate Resolution to the floor, Wednesday, June 6th, to honor the late Abe Snyder, the visionary founder of the African American Day Parade. Abe Snyder, along with other dedicated community members, established the African American Day Parade organization in 1968 during a challenging period for the African American community.…
Harlem Bespoke also has a Twitter account with over 6,730 followers for those who want daily updates about stuff that is happening in the neighborhood. If you Twitter, check out our Harlem tweets and join here: LINK
Electric Zoo is back and bolder than ever with a powerhouse lineup and the debut of an LGBTQ+ stage for the 2023 festival, which will be held September 1-3 at Randall’s Island Park.
Headliners include GRiZ, Zeds Dead, Galantis, Marshmello, The Chainsmokers, and Gryffin. Plus, in an unprecedented moment, electronic music legends Deadmau5 and Kaskade will join forces for the New York City debut of Kx5. Kaskade will also perform a special sunset set taking the crowd on a nostalgic journey through his discography.
For more than a decade, Electric Zoo has been a Labor Day weekend tradition in New York City. It’s one of the city’s biggest music festivals, which attracts the top talent in the EDM genre year after year. Tickets will be on sale here for the three-day festival. Festival pass prices will cost “the lowest in history so that anyone who’s been affected by the economic crisis could still take part in the festivities,” Electric Zoo’s organizers said in a press release. “The Electric Zoo team believes dancing is not a luxury, but a necessity at times like this.”
Photograph: Courtesy of Electric Zoo | Deadmau5 and Kaskde.
With what event organizers describe as a “genre-defying lineup,” Electric Zoo is known for treating a variety of musical tastes, and this year is no different. Genre-bending The Blessed Madonna will perform, alongside tech house stars like Mau P and Franky Wah. Fans of hard-hitting bass will want to see sets by Peekaboo, Alison Wonderland, Boogie T, Canabliss, Moore Kismet, Big Gigantic, NGHTMRE, andhim and Rusko.
Several musicians and DJs will lead stage takeovers, including a collaboration by Fisher & Chris Lake, who will debut their popular brand Under Construction featuring their favorite acts. Another stage features Nora En Pure with a sonic journey through melodic and deep house sounds.
Photograph: Courtesy of Electric Zoo
For the first time, Electric Zoo will showcase an LGBTQ stage called Dreamland, curated by event producer Jake Resnicow. In response to the growing demand for inclusivity and representation, this dedicated stage will platform for an array of talented artists and celebrate the rich diversity within the music industry.
“The Dreamland stage at Electric Zoo Festival serves as a beacon of empowerment and representation. By spotlighting LGBTQ+ artists, we not only showcase their incredible talents but also inspire the next generation of diverse artists and fans. It’s about creating a space where people can express themselves freely, connect authentically, and celebrate the beautiful spectrum of identities within our community,” said Resnicow, who’s among the “OUT100 Most Influential LGBTQ People.”
This year’s Electric Zoo also promises a Hyper Space theme with AI elements, including a “Mega Mirage” stage.
Photograph: Courtesy of Electric Zoo
Here’s the full lineup for Electric Zoo 2023
3LAU Acraze Ace Aura Adventure Club Alec Monopoly ALLEYCVT Alison Wonderland andhim ATLiens Big Gigantic Black Carl Blanke Bonnie & Clyde Boogie T Brina Knauss Camelphat Canabliss Carola Chris Lake Cloonee Coco & Breezy Dalton Taylor Deadmau5 Deeper Purpose Desert Hearts B2B (Mikey, Lee, Marbs, Porky) Dirt Monkey Dom Dolla Dubfire Elderbrook Eli Brown Excision Fisher Forester Francis Mercier Franky Wah Galantis Ghastly presents Ghengar Gioli & Assia Godlands Green Velvet GRiZ Gryffin Hi-Lo Honeluv Iglesias Ilario Alicante J.Worra Jaden Thompson Jantsen Jimi Jules John Summit Juliet Fox JVNA Kai Wachi Kasbo Kaskade KREAM Kumarion Layton Giordani Liquid Stranger Madeon Major Lazer Marshmello Mary Droppinz Massano Matroda Mau P Moore Kismet NGHTMRE Nic Fanciulli Nora En Pure Nostalgix Oddkidout Paradoks Paige Peekaboo Rebuke Recondite Rusko Said the Sky Saka Sam Divine Sharlitz Web Skream So Tuff So Cute Softest Hard Steller Stephen Bodzin Superave TELYKast The Blessed Madonna The Chainsmokers Tiësto Timmy Trumpet Torren Foot Truth Vampa Vavo Volaris Yokai Yolanda Be Cool Zedd Zeds Dead
