The Bronx is NOT burning: Third Ave
Read MoreThe Mayor amongst the detritus
Mayor Bill Deblasio on the cover of the newspaper. The mayor ran for office promising to end “stop and frisk” and improve relations between the New York Police Department and African Americans and Hispanics. He won his first term with 73 percent of the vote, winning again in 2017 with 67 percent of the vote.
Clean Halls is Stop and Frisk
The NYPD “Clean Halls” program which started in 1991, allowed owners and managers of private apartment buildings to give police permission to patrol buildings for trespassing. Many viewed the program as violating the rights of black and latino residents. The program was discontinued in 2013 after an incident in the Bronx involving an African American man who was stopped and frisked after being suspected of burglary. His case went to court with the resulting ruling for the man finding that intentional discrimination was part of the City’s “standard operating procedure”.
Selfies outside the 42nd
The 42nd precinct serves an area of 1.1 square miles known as the Morrisania section of the Bronx, which includes most of the length of the walk. A group of the European tourists got off a tour bus, took photos and quickly got back on the bus. Afterwards, I went inside and asked a cop how things were in the Bronx. The reply was “busy”.
The resplendent Quetzal
These murals, titled “Rise Up” are by the artist Josie Gonzalez. Designed to promote play and encourage physical activity, they were inspired by students in the local “DreamYard” after-school programs. They feature the quetzal bird – a symbol of freedom in Spanish-speaking countries throughout the Americas. (More information at art-bridge.org/play)
Homebase
HomeBase is a program of "The BronxWorks" – a social service agency started in 1972. It is designed to help individuals and families of the South Bronx avoid the trauma of homelessness by helping overcome the immediate problems and obstacles that could result in the loss of housing. Program services include legal help, short term financial assistance, mental health and substance abuse services, child care, education and employment.
Estella Diggs Park
This park, opened in 2011 is named after Estella Diggs – a lifelong community organizer. In 1972 she became the first African-American woman to represent the Bronx in the NY State assembly. She was responsible for the first Women’s Infants and Childrens program in the state and the first “sobering-up station” in the Bronx. She died in the Bronx in 2013, two days before her 97th birthday.
Three Institutions
The Puerto Rican Family Institute is a “non-profit, multi-program health and human services agency whose primary mission is to prevent family disintegration and enhance the self-sufficency of the underserved community. PRFI offers a comprehensive array of social and health services that are culturally and linguistically relevant”
The Eagle Academy for Young Men is a NYC all boys public school in the Bronx serving young men in grades 6 through 12. It opened in 2004 and moved to this “state of the art flagship facility” in 2009. It has now expanded to all five boroughs of New York City as well as Newark New Jersey and serves 3,000 young men.
The Christ Pentacostal International Church is led by the Reverend Ebenezer Adarkwah, originally from Kade, Ghana. He originally received a visa to travel to the U.S. in 1992. After some time in the U.S. he became dissatisfied with the hardships of the immigrant community in the U.S. and returned to Ghana. Back in Ghana he realized that he had to “fulfill god’s purpose”, came back to the U.S. a year later and became involved with the Church.