El Museo del Barrio and Maestro Dobel® Tequila, creator of the world’s first Cristalino from 11th-generation tequila maker Juan Dobel are proud to announce Carlos Martiel as the recipient of the inaugural Maestro Dobel Latinx Art Prize. The bi-annual prize, created to raise awareness and amplify the cultural production of Latinx artists, a segment that…
This year marks 22 years since September 11, 2001, a day that forever changed New York City. Amid the annual memorials for fallen men and women, the city announced two newly identified victims who died as a result of the terrorist attacks.
Everyday New Yorkers, surviving family members, and elected officials of every caliber paused to offer heartfelt support for those lost and promised to never forget.
“On one of the most horrific days in our nation’s history, thousands of first responders leapt into action and ran towards danger to save their fellow Americans,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a statement. “Hundreds lost their lives and many continue to suffer from illnesses from their service at Ground Zero on that fateful day. They represent the best of us and House Democrats are committed to ensuring that these brave men and women receive the support they deserve.”
In a series of interviews, Mayor Eric Adams spoke about where he was and what he was doing back in 2001. He was an NYPD lieutenant in the 88th Precinct at the time and his younger brother was a sergeant. He said he was on the Upper West Side in Manhattan helping out with a campaign on the morning of the attacks. He got stranded when the attack shut down the subways, so he opted to walk downtown.
“And when I started to get across the bridge, the Manhattan Bridge at the time was closed down. I just saw people in all sorts of dust and particles [of debris]. [There was] the realization that the buildings collapsed [and] had not settled in yet,” said Adams in describing the scene. “I just thought it was the smoke and the soot coming from the airplanes hitting the buildings.”
It is estimated that nearly 3,000 people died in the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon locations. At least 2,753 people were lost in New York City, but 22 years later, remains are still being identified. Adams and Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) Dr. Jason Graham announced two new identifications—a man and woman whose names are being withheld at the request of their families—as the 1,648th and 1,649th individuals to be found using advanced DNA testing.
“We hope these new identifications can bring some measure of comfort to the families of these victims,” said Adams in a statement. “The ongoing efforts by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner attest to the city’s unwavering commitment to reunite all the World Trade Center victims with their loved ones.”
Some 1,104 victims—40% of those who died in the attacks—remain unidentified, said the city.
“More than 20 years after the disaster, these two new identifications continue to fulfill a solemn pledge that OCME made to return the remains of World Trade Center victims to their loved ones,” said Graham. “Faced with the largest and most complex forensic investigation in the history of our country, we stand undaunted in our mission to use the latest advances in science to serve this promise.”
Adams said that he was afraid on that day, but committed to keeping the city safe and seeing it get back on its feet—a sentiment he has very much made the bedrock of his administration. 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 visitinghttps://bit.ly/amnews1.
Advocates for immigrant rights held a conference to discuss some of the obstacles parents need to be aware of as nearly 19,000 migrant children attend New York City public schools this fall.
The new school year kicked off last week on Thursday, September 7. There are many issues immigrant and asylum seeker families need to navigate, including getting accurate information on enrollment, language access, getting vaccinated, childcare, and most pressingly, the potential bus strike.
New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) Director of Economic Justice and Family Empowerment Liza Schwartzwald said that even before the asylum seeker crisis began last year, at least “1-in-2 students was a child of an immigrant family.” She said all groups of English Language Learner (ELL) students and immigrant students, both old and newly arrived, deserve access to quality education.
“These students are the future of the New York City educational system and it is critical that we support them,” said Schwartzwald.
She added that the city is prepared to issue emergency MetroCards, pre-paid rideshares, and transportation reimbursement where necessary in the event of a bus strike. She said families will receive four trips on trains and city buses to get from and to school, and they will receive notification if their route is affected.
The last New York City public school bus strike was in 2013, when bus drivers held out for a month on the picket lines in cold weather until union officials called off the strike.
Just before the school year began this year, several families of school bus riders rallied outside the Department of Education (DOE) headquarters on Tuesday, September 5. They were upset about overdue labor contracts for bus drivers, prompting worries of another potential strike. The group reportedly said that school bus drivers need safe service, adequate training, proper wheelchair harnesses, and better pay to avoid turnover.
“Passively sitting out these negotiations when you have the power to step in, means actively enabling the destruction of the school bus service that thousands of our kids depend on to get their education,” said Parents to Improve School Transportation (PIST NYC) Co-Founder Sara Catalinotto in a statement.
The rallying group also had the support of Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. “Today we stood with @pistnyc and families to demand a fair contract for bus drivers, and for the rights of students—including those with disabilities and in temporary housing—to be protected,” Williams posted on social media. “Whenever profit is the top priority, people suffer, and that’s what will happen here.”
Despite the rally, drivers promised to bus students in the first week of school while the union continued negotiations with the city. NYIC said up to half of current bus routes may be affected by a potential bus strike.
For updates, contact the Office of Pupil Transportation Call Center at 718-392-8855, or email NYC’s Department of Education at transportation@schools.nyc.gov.
Groups like Advocates for Children and LSA Family Health Service, also disseminated information about how to enroll kids into 3K and Pre-K, as well as elementary, middle, or high school. They emphasized that translation and interpretation services are and should be available at a family’s request.
Until Sept. 22, certain Family Welcome Centers will temporarily relocate to nearby schools and updated locations can be found in digital flyers available in multiple languages. Normal hours and locations will resume on Sept. 26. For the latest updates on hours and locations, please visit schools.nyc.gov/FWC. 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 visitinghttps://bit.ly/amnews1
The New York Public Library is offering new, special-edition Hip Hop 50 library cards that feature imagery from the soundtrack cassette of the iconic 1983 film “Wild Style,” directed by Charlie Ahearn—widely considered to be the first film dedicated to hip hop.
You can apply online or at a local branch for a new hip hop library card at any NYPL location near you. Call 917-ASK-NYPL (917-275-6975) for more information.
If you don’t mind traveling at night, these new Amtrak train tickets are for you.
This week, Amtrak announced new “Night Owl” fares on select Northeast Corridor (NEC) routes between Boston and New York. Now, Off-Peak hour trains traveling between Washington, D.C. and New York and now New York to Boston (departing between 7pm and 7am) will feature low fares for coach tickets.
This deal has been available for most Northeast Corridor city pairs between New York and Washington, D.C., but now Boston is in the mix.
In addition, the time frame for departures has increased by two hours, meaning if you are catching a concert, play or game, you can get home at a lower rate if you leave earlier and later.
In the expansive realm of global trade, shipping containers play a pivotal role in seamlessly ferrying goods across oceans and continents. These formidable metal giants come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each meticulously crafted to cater to specific cargo requirements and transportation methods. In this comprehensive guide, we shipping containers will delve into…
