Brooklyn Political Roundup for May 9: Kavanagh names Breedlove ‘Woman of Distinction’

In Public Service, From The Political Staff Of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle

May 9, 2018 By Paula Katinas & John Alexander Brooklyn Daily Eagle

State Sen. Brian Kavanagh (right) says Cobble Hill Association President Amy Breedlove is the epitome of a community leader. Photo by Jonathan Sterne

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Amy Breedlove’s civic activism has won her recognition from New York State.

Breedlove, president of the Cobble Hill Association, was named by state Sen. Brian Kavanagh as one of the State Senate’s “Women of Distinction” for 2018. She was honored at a recent ceremony in Albany.

“Our communities are only as strong as the New Yorkers who are willing to stand up and fight for them and with Amy’s leadership, the CHA is ensuring that Cobble Hill is flourishing,” Kavanagh (D-Cobble Hill) said in a statement.

Under Breedlove’s leadership, the association serves as a watchdog for the community. The group has worked on a number of long-term projects, including protecting Cobble Hill from the effects of the Long Island College Hospital development, lessening the impact of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway rehabilitation, and preserving local green spaces.

Breedlove also serves on the board of the Stonewall Community Development Corporation, an organization that promotes affordable housing for LGBTQ senior citizens.

Each of New York’s 63 state senators selects one recipient in his or her district to receive a Women of Distinction Award.

The award is presented to women who have worked to make their communities better places to live and work, according to Kavanagh. – PK

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Savino looks to increase voter turnout

Newly reunited with mainstream Democrats in the State Senate after spending several years as a member of the now-defunct Independent Democratic Conference, state Sen. Diane Savino (D-Coney Island) is looking for ways to increase voter turnout in elections.

Savino and other members of Senate Democratic Conference released the results of a survey that looks at potential causes for New York’s abysmal voter turnout rate and announced a series of bill aimed at increasing voter participation.

But given that the Republicans still control the State Senate’s agenda, it’s not clear if the legislative package will be passed. On paper, the Democrats have a one-seat majority. Staet Sen. Simcha Felder (D?R-Borough Park) is a Democrat but caucuses and vote with Republicans

The Senate Democratic Conference report, “Why Don’t More New Yorkers Vote? A Snapshot Identifying Low Voter Turnout,” includes the results of a survey of New Yorkers who did not participate in the 2016 Election.

New York State ranked 41st in the nation in voter turnout in the 2016 Election.

“It is our responsibility as elected officials to ensure that New Yorkers can exercise their right to vote without any hurdles. New York is a melting-pot of people from all walks of life and unique backgrounds. We should never rank among the lowest in the nation for voter participation,” Savino said in a statement. “It is time to step up and encourage our diverse citizens to become more civically engaged, by making the process more convenient and less convoluted.”

The bills the Democrats are pushing would allow for early voting and would permit New Yorkers to cast absentee ballots without having to offer explanations as to why they can’t vote on Election Day. – PK

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Brooklyn Chamber’s ‘Brooklyn Designs’ will open at Brooklyn Museum

Brooklyn Designs is an annual survey of the contemporary design scene in Brooklyn founded by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce in 2003.

For the 15th edition, Brooklyn Designs will be hosted at the Brooklyn Museum for the first time, providing a historic and culturally significant backdrop for the over 50 independent designers and design brands that produce a range of handcrafted and hi-tech products across furniture, lighting, textiles, tableware, and jewelry, many of which have received Brooklyn-Made certification.

Brooklyn Designs is part of the citywide NYCxDESIGN initiative and encompasses an exhibition, marketplace, interactive exhibits, live demos, and a diverse conference program. www.brooklyndesigns.nyc

Highlights include a diverse array of exhibitors acting as a launch pad for emerging designers; a showcase of student work from Pratt Institute’s Graduate Architecture and Urban Design program; a pop-up textile studio with live demos of weaving, bobbin lace, silk painting and block printing; and an exhibit of historic Brooklyn ceramic objects from the museum’s arts collection.

The keynote address will be delivered by architect and urban planner Jonathan Marvel, whose projects include One Hotel at Brooklyn Bridge Park and New Lab in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

“We’re proud to showcase Brooklyn’s talented and thriving design community each year at Brooklyn Designs as they really represent the innovative drivers of the borough’s maker economy,” said Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Andrew Hoan. “This year is especially unique as these designers and architects will have their work on display at the iconic Brooklyn Museum.”

The choice of location for Brooklyn Designs is quite appropriate since design has always been an art and certainly at the Brooklyn Museum, located at 200 Eastern Parkway, where they have a number of design exhibits.