Page 3 - QT Eedition #41

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2025 THE QUEENS TIMES PAGE 3

Assemblyman Braunstein Announces Northeast Queens State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli
Student Halloween Essay & Drawing Contest Statement On The Federal

Assemblyman Edward C. an account of the student’s favor- to please print their full name, Government Shutdown
Braunstein (D-Bayside) is happy ite trick or treating experience. grade, and school on their entry.
to announce his annual Hallow- “As the leaves begin to fall Essays and drawings may be sub- down has painful consequences
een Essay & Drawing Contest, and we welcome the Halloween mitted to Assemblyman Braun- for our state. Prolonged shut-
downs hurt the economy, disrupt
open to students in grades two season, I’m inviting Northeast stein’s office by mail or drop-off
through five who live or go to Queens students to get into the to 213-33 39th Avenue, Suite 238, critical services, and harms fed-
eral workers. Some individuals
school in Assembly District spirit and submit a spooky essay Bayside, NY 11361, or email to
26. District-wide prizes will be or drawing to my office’s annual braunsteine@nyassembly.gov. may have their benefits delayed
and business operations may
awarded to the winner in each contest,” said Assemblyman Ed- Entries may be of any size or
grade and New York State As- ward Braunstein. “I look forward format. The contest deadline is be interrupted. Over 115,000
sembly Certificates of Merit will to reviewing your creative entries Monday, November 3, 2025. federal employees work in New
be awarded to all students who as we prepare to celebrate the If you have any questions, York, ranging from healthcare
workers to engineers to parks
participate. holiday.” please contact Assemblyman
workers. The longer the shut-
The essay or drawing should If a student is interested in Braunstein’s office at 718-357- New York State Comptroller down drags on, the more families
have a Halloween theme, such as participating, they are asked 3588. Thomas P. DiNapoli released and businesses will suffer. Our
Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project Connects With Parents At the following statement today economy is slowing down and
on the shutdown of the federal prices are high. New Yorkers
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst To Create Lullabies government: and all Americans deserve action
to get government back up and
Supported by the Arts in Medi- “A federal government shut- running.”
cine department, the program
is available to patients and staff Attorney General James And Coalition
at Elmhurst Hospital expecting Urge Colleges And Universities to
a child or with young children
Ensure Diverse Student Bodies
NYC Health + Hospitals’
Arts in Medicine department New York Attorney General standards, but by lifting students
and Carnegie Hall’s Weill Mu- Letitia James, together with Con- up according to their merit and
sic Institute today announced necticut Attorney General Wil- the obstacles they have overcome.
a new season of the Lullaby liam Tong, Delaware Attorney The Supreme Court, even in
Project. The program created General Kathy Jennings, Illinois striking down diversity initia-
by Carnegie Hall pairs profes- Attorney General Kwame Raoul, tives, still made clear that univer-
sional musicians with parents Minnesota Attorney General sities could explore race-neutral
or expecting parents to write a Keith Ellison, New Jersey At- alternatives to achieve equity.
personalized lullaby for their torney General Matthew Plat- The use of socioeconomic and
family. The Lullaby Project is kin, Vermont Attorney General geographic factors is exactly such
available to patients and staff A family works on a lullaby at Elmhurst Hospital Charity Clark and Washington an alternative. Despite U.S. Attor-
of NYC Health + Hospitals/El- as part of the Lullaby Project (Credit: Fadi Kheir) Attorney General Nick Brown ney General Pamela Bondi’s re-
mhurst, and the free workshops published an op-ed in Inside cent nonbinding guidance warn-
will take place at the hospital on childhood development through are proud to partner with such a Higher Ed urging colleges and ing against the use of geographic
most Thursdays from October to the power of song. The process renowned and iconic institution universities to seek out admin- indicators as “proxies” for race,
April. Research shows that cre- empowers parents by affirming as Carnegie Hall, whose commit- istration procedures that would make no mistake: abandoning
ating and singing lullabies pro- their voices and creating lasting ment to community engagement ensure diverse student bodies. consideration of these elements of
motes overall family well-being memories. New this year, we are has brought comfort and joy to In the wake of the U.S. Supreme an applicant’s background is not
by supporting parental health, eager to learn the emotional and our newborns’ families, artists, Court’s gutting of affirmative ac- a legal requirement but a political
early child development, and the professional impact the experi- and healthcare staff alike.” tion and the U.S. Department of choice, reflecting fear rather than
connection between parent and ence has on staff members who “We are thrilled to continue Justice’s recent guidance warning courage.
child. This year, researchers will connect patients to the Lullaby our longstanding Lullaby Project against the use of racial “proxies” Without tools that account for
also evaluate how this creative Project and how participating partnership with NYC Health + in admissions, it is critical that the barriers students face, col-
process affects hospital staff in or witnessing the creative Hospitals, an essential service colleges and universities priori- leges will fall back on practices
who help connect families to the process might influence staff provider in the Elmhurst com- tize lawful ways to incorporate that overwhelmingly favor the
project. The evaluation will be morale, empathy, and sense of munity,” said Tiffany Ortiz, socioeconomic and geographic privileged, shutting out low-
led by WolfBrown, known for purpose. Thank you to the Laurie Director, Early Childhood Pro- factors in admissions processes. income and first-generation stu-
their work with Carnegie Hall M. Tisch Illumination fund for grams for Carnegie Hall’s Weill The full text of the op-ed is dents who have already beaten
on impact research. your continued support that al- Music Institute. “Music can play available below the odds. This spoils opportunity
The Lullaby Project features lows us to advance this program an important role in the overall Two years ago, the Supreme for millions, and our campuses
award-winning musicians to and our work supporting the well-being of families, and we’ve Court dealt a devastating blow and our nation will suffer for it.
collaborate with patients and healthcare workforce at NYC seen firsthand the impact of writ- to opportunity in America when Diversity is not a box to check; it
develop a unique lullaby. This Health + Hospitals.” ing lullabies to foster connection, it gutted access to higher educa- is a vital engine of education and
year’s program includes the fol- “The Carnegie Hall Lullaby empower caregivers, and support tion for underrepresented groups. democracy. Classrooms that bring
lowing musicians: Project is a beautifully unique early child development. We’re That decision was not only legally together students from different
• Falu Shah way to welcome infants into the excited to resume programming misguided but also turned a blind walks of life prepare all graduates
• Mafer Bandola world and have them bond with this fall with NYC Health + Hos- eye to the deep inequities that to lead a diverse society, foster
• Willerm Delisfort their moms and other caregiv- pitals / Elmhurst, and to explore have long shaped our educa- innovation and strengthen our
• Patrick Thompson ers,” said NYC Health + Hos- the broader community impact tion system. Our colleges and communities.
“Welcoming a new baby pitals/Elmhurst CEO Dr. Helen of the Lullaby Project through universities scrambled to find We cannot allow the Supreme
into the family can be joyful, Arteaga. “A huge thank you to the lens of its staff.” lawful tools to ensure that their Court’s decision—and the chill-
overwhelming, and everything Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby student bodies still reflected the ing effect in its wake—to undo
in between,” said Laurie Tisch, Institute for giving our patients Project first took place in 2011 breadth of talent and promise in decades of progress. And we can-
founder and president of the the opportunity to work with at NYC Health + Hospitals/ this country. not allow educational institutions
Laurie M. Tisch Illumination amazingly talented musicians Jacobi in the Bronx. The ini- One of those tools was Land- to abdicate their responsibility in
Fund. “The Lullaby Project helps to produce one-of-a-kind musi- tiative now serves more than scape, a program recently can- this moment of crisis. The data
parents build early bonds with cal gifts for their babies. This 1,000 families a year through celed by the College Board that that provides broader context
their babies by turning emotion program brings us so much joy five partner institutions in New gave admissions officers data for applicants remains available,
into song. It offers connection, and we are thrilled to see it reach York City and nearly 70 partner about a student’s high school and but without the will to use it, too
comfort, and love at a time when additional families.” institutions worldwide. In New neighborhood while explicitly many doors will remain closed for
families need it most. We are “The use of music in medicine York City, the project reaches excluding race or ethnicity. the students who need them most.
proud to support this program has created meaningful connec- families in healthcare settings, Standardized test scores and America has always promised to
at NYC Health + Hospitals/ tions between patients, fami- social service, and other com- GPAs never tell the whole story. reward hard work and persever-
Elmhurst in partnership with lies, and musicians,” said NYC munity centers. Songs have been Median family income, access ance, no matter where you come
Carnegie Hall.” Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst written in more than 40 different to Advanced Placement courses, from. That promise rings hol-
“Arts in Medicine is proud Deputy Executive Director for languages and in a diverse range local crime rates and other key in- low if we allow the wealthy and
to continue to offer this unique Ambulatory Care Amy Harris. of musical styles. dicators help admissions officers well connected to monopolize
program to our families at NYC “The Carnegie Hall Lullaby Research by WolfBrown see the full picture and provide educational opportunity. Colleges
Health + Hospitals,” said NYC Project has become a cherished found that through the Lullaby crucial context to help identify and universities must honor that
Health + Hospitals Assistant seasonal tradition at NYC Health Project, parents experience a high-achieving students from promise by continuing to seek
Vice President of Arts in Medi- + Hospitals/Elmhurst, offer- growing sense of their own disadvantaged communities. out and support students who
cine Larissa Trinder. “For par- ing families the opportunity to agency, creativity, well-being, These are students whom univer- have succeeded against the odds.
ents and children, it strengthens create personalized lullabies self-confidence, and capacity to sities might otherwise overlook. Fairness demands it, equal oppor-
emotional bonds, supports ma- that celebrate the rich cultural be loving, sensitive and respon- Tools that give context level the tunity requires it, and the future
ternal health, and promotes early diversity of our community. We sive care givers. playing field—not by lowering of our country depends on it.