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Good Morning, Brooklyn: Wednesday, July 20, 2022

July 20, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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NYC LEADERS JOIN VOTING RIGHTS BATTLE IN SCOTUS CASE: New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Corporation Counsel Sylvia O. Hinds-Radix, joining the fight to protect voting rights at the U.S. Supreme Court, have filed an amicus brief in the case Merrill v. Milligan that alleges the electoral power of Blacks is being diluted, in violation of the Voting Rights Act. The respondents in the case argue that the state’s new electoral map “packed” Black voters into one congressional district and scattered them among three other districts in an effort to avoid drawing a second district where Black voters could elect their candidate of choice.

The City of New York joined the brief in an effort to support Alabamians fighting against the implementation of a newly drawn congressional districting map. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case this fall.

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EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING: New Yorkers need to prepare for dangerous heat conditions that are expected to last through Thursday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced yesterday. A combination of hot temperatures and moderate-to-high humidity levels are expected to cause heat index values in the 90s and potentially the low 100s. Downstate regions, including the five boroughs, are forecast to experience the most dangerous heat conditions, with heat index values currently expected to break the 100-degree mark.

Symptoms of heat stroke include hot, dry, red skin, rapid pulse, rapid, shallow breathing, body temperature higher than 105 degrees, loss of alertness, confusion, and/or loss of consciousness.

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REYNOSO UNDERWRITES HOSPITAL SYSTEM’S BIRTHING CENTER: Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso’s administration has allocated $11 million in capital funding to NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull to improve the hospital’s women’s health services by creating a state-of-the-art birthing center. Reynoso is the first Borough President to allocate an entire fiscal year’s capital funding, in this case his entire FY23 capital funds – a total of $45M — to one cause, across the three public hospitals in Brooklyn to help improve maternal health care services that will in turn reduce disparities in maternal mortality rates found between Black pregnant people and their white counterparts.

Capital funding will go towards the new birthing center, renovating six private labor and birthing rooms, enhance the nurse’s station, post anesthesia care unit, and an upgrade of the triage and ante-partum rooms. The new design also includes a state-of-the-art OB stimulation lab and enlarged modernized operating rooms for cesarean births.

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MALLIOTAKIS SUPPORTS PROTECTIONS FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-11/southwestern Brooklyn) has pledged to support the Respect for Marriage Act, that would protect same-sex marriage nationwide. The bill (H.R. 8404) which her congressional colleague across the aisle, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-10) has introduced, states, “No person acting under color of state law may deny— ‘‘(1) full faith and credit to any public act, 16 record, or judicial proceeding of any other state pertaining to a marriage between 2 individuals, on the basis of the sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of those individuals; or ‘‘(2) a right or claim arising from such a marriage on the basis that such marriage would not be recognized under the law of that state on the basis of the sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of those individuals.”

Expressing regret for voting against a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in New York State while in the State Assembly six years prior, Malliotakis said, “I have attended two weddings of couples who deserve equal recognition and protection under the law. Today, I will vote to codify same-sex marriage to ensure our fellow Americans continue to have the right to equal marriage and benefits under federal law.”

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LEGAL AID SOCIETY DENOUNCES MAYOR’S REMARKS ON ASYLUM SEEKERS : The Legal Aid Society is denouncing Mayor Eric Adams’ comments about asylum seekers from other regions adding to New York City’s homelessness crisis. Advocates for the homeless have also condemned the continued encampment sweeps, and demanded that the city approve more funding to bolster the development of affordable housing.

“Let’s be clear: the growing shelter census crisis squarely falls at the Mayor’s feet, and asylum seekers shouldn’t shoulder the blame for this,” reads the statement, which concludes, “We condemn the Administration’s continued militarized encampment sweeps which inflict trauma, create conflict, and separate our clients from what few belongings they own. This inhumane policy defines the Adams Administration, and it tarnishes New York’s reputation as an ostensibly progressive city with empathy for our fellow human beings.”

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MAYOR TEAMS WITH ACLU GIANT ON NEW HOMELESS SUPPORT INITIATIVE: The above-referenced rebuke of Mayor Adams’ statement about asylum seekers’ escalating the homelessness crisis comes as he has joined forces with veteran civil rights advocate Norman Siegel, and Community Healthcare Network president and Coalition for the Homeless founder Robert Hayes for the launch of the Street Homeless Advocacy Project (SHAP), a volunteer outreach initiative to provide direct support to those experiencing homelessness. This new initiative will help train New Yorkers to become volunteer advocates for those experiencing homelessness.

SHAP is under the leadership of Siegel and Robert Hayes, in conjunction with the Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing, The New York Legal Assistance Group, and the Doe Fund.

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AILEY DANCING ON THE BOARWALK: Ailey Moves NYC!, a free 10-day, citywide, festival from Alvin Ailey kicks off this weekend on the Coney Island Boardwalk. Ailey Arts in Education will offer a West African Dance Family Workshop with live drumming, and performing Mr. Ailey’s American masterpiece Revelations and hip-hop innovator Rennie Harris’s acclaimed Lazarus on the Coney Island Amphitheatre Summer Stage.

Embracing people throughout its hometown, the Ailey organization presents Ailey Moves NYC!, a summer celebration with free events in all five boroughs, July 23-August 1. Offerings include performances, dance classes, Revelations workshops, and screenings of Jamila Wignot’s acclaimed 2021 documentary ‘Ailey’. (More info, visit https://www.alvinailey.org/sites/default/files/2022-06/AileyMovesCalendar_2.pdf _)

Please Credit Photo: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations.
Photo credit: Paul Kolnik

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CONEY ISLAND SAND SCULPTING COMPETITION: The Alliance for Coney Island will hold the Coney Island Sand Sculpting Competition, now in its 30th year. Taking place on Saturday, August 13 from noon to 4 p.m. on the beach at W. 12th St., the competition will have 4 categories (Adult Group, Family, Individual, and People’s Choice) with prizes for each.

This event is made possible with support from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Councilmember Ari Kagan, and the NYC & Co. Foundation.

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CORRECTION

Because of a punctuation error, the name of GodSquad/67^th Precinct Clergy Council’s interim president was misspelled, and should have instead read as Pastor Edward-Richard Hinds. The Eagle regrets the error.