Page 10 - Queens Times Edition #12
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PAGE 10                                                    THE QUEENS TIMES                                  THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

         Senator Gillibrand, Representative Meng &                                                 NYC School Construction

          Advocates Lead Call For Action to Address                                             Authority Breaks Ground . . .

                The Underreporting of Hate Crimes                                                   (Continued from page 6)  worth the wait.”


            (Continued from page 3)  God willing, we will achieve that   on their faith. Hate crimes are a                        Assembly Member Nily Rozic
                                     dream together.”              serious issue plaguing our com-  struction Authority. “As a result of  said: “The much needed ex-
        Reporting System. In alignment       “As the leader of an organiza-  munities and must be prevented   our strong partnerships with the  pansions of our existing public
        with WHIAANHPI, TAAF urges  tion dedicated to supporting im-  from the micro to the macro levels.   Mayor, City Council and our other  schools is vital to the lasting
        DOJ to condition federal funding  migrant survivors of gender-based   While we are grateful for all the   local elected leaders, we’re set-  success of our students. The ad-
        grants on law enforcement par-  violence, we wholeheartedly en-  resources that have been allocated   ting the bar for a strong academic  dition of 399 seats, the creation of
        ticipation in the collections and  dorse and applaud Senator Kirsten   towards fighting hate crimes, we   foundation and nurturing learning  specialty classrooms, a fully ac-
        reporting program.”          Gillibrand and Representative   kindly ask the DOJ to honor this   environments for our kids.”   cessible building (inside and out)
             “We applaud Senator Gillibrand  Grace Meng’s efforts to call on the   request and provide information        Other amenities at the school  and improvements to the existing
        and Representative Meng for writ-  Department of Justice to provide   on local LEAs compliance with   will include:  building will allow students and
        ing this letter and bringing light  a comprehensive overview of hate   NIBRS including agencies that   •    Art classroom   faculty at Rufus King P.S. 26 to
        to this critical issue,” said Gideon  crime  compliance  through  the   remain in noncompliance and   •    Full kitchen complex   continue reaching new heights and
        Taylor, Executive Vice President  National Incident-Based Report-  potential impact of noncompliance   •    Student dining area   ease the existing pressures that the
        and CEO of the Jewish Com-   ing System,” said Jeehae Fischer,   in future Hate Crimes,” said AjiF-  •    Guidance suite   building and school community
        munity Relations Council of New  Executive Director of the Korean   anta Marenah, Advocacy Program   •    Staff work room   were experiencing.”
        York. “It is monumentally impor-  American Family Service Center.   Manager, Muslim Community   •    Parent/community room        Council Member Linda Lee
        tant to the Jewish community and  “It is crucial that law enforcement   Network (MCN).  •    Bicycle storage         said: “Investing in a brighter fu-
        all New Yorkers that hate crimes  agencies nationwide adopt a uni-         Senator Gillibrand’s and   •    Exercise room   ture for our City’s next generation
        are reported fairly and correctly  fied and transparent approach to   Representative Meng’s call for   •    Outdoor Playground   means providing our children with
        by the Department of Justice.  addressing hate crimes to ensure   compliance of law enforcement        U.S. Rep. Grace Meng said:  all the possible tools for educa-
        JCRC-NY stands ready to work  the safety and well-being of all   agencies with the national sys-  “This addition will go a long way  tional success inside and outside
        with Senator Gillibrand and Rep-  communities, including the most   tem to report hate crimes is also   towards reducing overcrowding by  of the classroom. The new addi-
        resentative Meng in calling for  vulnerable among us. Noncom-  supported by Asian American   providing much needed new seats  tion will provide a much-needed
        the Department of Justice to look  pliance with reporting standards   Federation, Chinese-American   for current and future students  399-seat expansion and specialty
        into their compliance in reporting  undermines the integrity of data   Planning Council, CACF - Coali-  of P.S. 26. Its new and modern  rooms to uplift the experiences
        hate crimes.”                collection and obscures the true   tion for Asian  American Chil-  classrooms and many amenities  of students attending both P.S.
             “Drag Out The Vote is encour-  extent of hate crimes in our nation.   dren and Families, The Korean   will provide an improved learning  26 and P 224Q. In addition, this
        aged that Senator Gillibrand, Con-  Accurate and consistent reporting   American Family Service Center,   environment for children, and I’m  project also provides the com-
        gresswoman Meng, and members  is vital in informing policy deci-  OCA  Asian  Pacific  American   thrilled to congratulate the entire  munity with a new playground
        of Congress are speaking out in  sions, allocating resources, and   Advocates  New  York  Chapter,   P.S. 26 community. Our students  for our students to enjoy between
        light of increasingly violent anti-  fostering a culture of account-  The Asian American Foundation,   are our future. We must make the  hitting the books. Thank you to
        LGBTQIA+ rhetoric,” said Chris  ability. Only then can we work   Garden of Hope, Hispanic Federa-  investments they need to ensure  the School Construction Author-
        Diaz, Executive Director of Drag  collectively towards eradicating   tion, Rainbow Access Initiative,   success and a bright future. I look  ity for prioritizing the well-being
        Out The Vote. “The culture wars  hate, prejudice, and violence in   Inc., Equality New York, Drag   forward to the project’s comple-  of our children, as we continue
        have never ended even though the  all its forms.”          Out The Vote, Muslim Commu-  tion.”                       to fulfill the vision of advancing
        majority of Americans are pro-       “MCN thanks Senator Kirsten   nity Network, UJA-Federation of        Borough President Donovan  the educational infrastructure of
        LGBTQIA+, are supportive of our  Gillibrand, Congresswoman   New York, New York Immigration   Richards said: “There should be  our schools and communities in
        trans siblings, and believe in tack-  Grace Meng and all MOC that   Coalition, Translatinx Network,   no higher priority for us as a city  Eastern Queens.”
        ling social inequality. We need  have drafted and signed this let-  Albany Damien Center, Asian   than ensuring our children receive       The SCA’s 2020-2024 Capital
        our elected officials to continue  ter. In July 2022, MCN published   American Business Development   the highest-quality education pos-  Program includes more than $2
        to speak out like this and further-  a hate crime report that surveyed   Center, Jewish Federations of   sible right in their own communi-  billion in funding for 32 buildings
        more we need Attorney General  Muslim New Yorkers on their   North America, Muslim Ameri-  ties. This expansion and improve-  adding 18,735 seats in Queens.
        Garland and Attorneys General  experience with hate crimes. We   can Society of New York, The   ment project at P.S. 26 will help  In District 26, the SCA is adding
        across the country to combat the  found that 76% of Muslim New   Ali Forney Center, The Sikh   us realize that mission, while also  more than 2,300 seats including
        rising tide of hate crimes and  Yorkers we surveyed witnessed a   Coalition, and Jewish Community   adding 399 much-needed seats to  a 435-seat addition at P.S. 46 that
        violence aimed at the LGBTQIA+  hate crime and 46% were victims   Relations Council of New York.  our borough’s school system. I am  will open later this year and a
        and other minority and underrep-  of a hate crime. It was equally        Senator Gillibrand has been a   excited for what the future holds  473-seat addition at P.S. 41 that
        resented communities.”       devastating to hear from com-  longtime advocate of legislation   for the students who will benefit  is slated for completion in 2024.
             “The Muslim American So-  munity members that majority   that addresses hate-crimes, hav-  from this project, and I look for-       A $59.9 million contract was
        ciety of NY is honored to stand  of times their experiences have   ing been an original co-sponsor   ward to the ribbon cutting.”   awarded to Navillus Tile Inc.
        shoulder-to-shoulder  with  the  been minimized by LEAs and not   of the Matthew Shepard and James        State Senator John Liu said:  for the new addition, which was
        diverse array of community lead-  reported. Hate crimes are a serious   Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Preven-  “This expansion at the Rufus King  designed through a collaboration
        ers to support the impactful efforts  threat to faith based and minor-  tion Act and the COVID-19 Hate   School will finally bring the build-  with the SCA and DiDomenico &
        of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and  ity communities and must be   Crimes Act. Senator Gillibrand   ing into ADA compliance, add  Partners, LLP.
        US Representative Grace Meng  adequately reported by LEAs for   also proudly cosponsored the   399 seats of desperately needed       As part of the SCA’s Public
        to combat hate crimes across the  the right preventative measures to   Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act,   instructional space, and improve  Art for Public Schools program,
        U.S.,” said Taher Abdelhadi, Ex-  be taken. Since 9/11 Muslims have   which created grants for state and   the existing playground. As with  artist Daru Jung Hyang Kim has
        ecutive Director, Muslim Ameri-  been wrongfully associated with   local governments to implement   all construction, there have been  been commissioned to create site-
        can Society of New York. “We  terrorism and targeted with verbal   the NIBRS. Senator Gillibrand   temporary  inconveniences for  specific artwork inside the lobby
        must remain resolute until people  abuse, harassment, threats, physi-  has also successfully pushed to   the community, but the enhanced  of the new addition. For additional
        of all ethnicities and faiths can  cal assault, and vandalism. More   include funding for the Nonprofit   school facility and forthcoming  information on the New York City
        live amongst each other in safety  alarming, both MCN and other   Security Grant Program, which   improved amenities for the be-  School Authority, please visit
        and tranquility, forming inclusive  national surveys, found that half   supports religious and commu-  loved Farm Playground will be  www.nycsca.org
        communities for the millions of  of school age Muslim youth have   nity-based organizations most at
        families that call this land home.   been bullied and harassed based   risk of terror and hate attacks.  Assemblywoman Nily Rozic Appointed
                                                                                                    to The New York State Assembly’s
        CM Linda Lee Hosts Neighborhood Forum ...                                                   Budget Committee For Education


            (Continued from page 9)  Beyond Barriers, a nonprofit dedi-  Wiesenthal Center is an accredited   (Continued from page 9)  total of $14.3 million, an increase
                                                                                                                             of $5 million over last year.
                                     cated to countering violent extrem-  Non-Governmental Organization   $280 million in funding to make       Rozic added, “A budget is a
        across law enforcement agencies  ism and helping others change  (NGO) by the United Nations,   school meals free for all students  statement of values that shows
        throughout the nation. The infor-  their lives.            UNESCO, the OSCE, the Orga-  in the state, as well as $2 million  support for students by investing
        mation was sorted by demographic       The forum was then   nization of American States, the   to expand the Specialized High  in their education and expand-
        according to data collected by the  concluded with a Q&A between  Latin American Parliament, and   School Test Preparation program  ing access to test preparation
        Federal Bureau of Investigation.  the Simon Wiesenthal Center and  the Council of Europe. Headquar-  to sixth graders in New York City.  and resources. I look forward to
             Following the directors, Jeff  the community in attendance. The   tered in Los Angeles it has offices   Also included in the plan is an  continuing the work ahead as we
        Schoep, a consultant for the Simon  Simon Wiesenthal Center recently   in New York, Chicago, Miami,   increase of $6.5 million in funding  approach the April 1st state budget
        Wiesenthal Center, shared his story  released their 2023 Digital Terror-  Toronto,  Paris,  Jerusalem,  and   for Adult Literacy Education for a  deadline.”
        about his entry and exit from the  ism and Hate Report Card<https://  Buenos Aires. Moriah Films is
        life of extremism, and the ways  www.digitalhate.net/index.php>  the two-time Academy Award®-
        he is working to combat bigotry       The Simon Wiesenthal Center  winning film division of the Simon
        and hate across the country. Jeff  (SWC) is a leading international  Wiesenthal Center. The Museum of
        Schoep was the former leader of  Jewish human rights organization  Tolerance Los Angeles, founded in
        the National Socialist Movement  founded in 1977 by Rabbi Mar-  1993, is the educational arm of the
        which was once the largest and  vin Hier. With 400,000 member  Simon Wiesenthal Center and the
        most active Neo-Nazi group in  families, the SWC confronts anti-  Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem is
        the United States. He now leads  Semitism, hate, and terrorism. The  scheduled to open in 2023.
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