Op-eds by stakeholders, policymakers and other citizens of New York. Want to submit an opinion piece? Email: Jeanmarie@citylimits.org.
“Unemployment continues to be higher in places like Flatbush, Brooklyn—my neighborhood—than in the wealthiest parts of the city and state. For my unemployed neighbors and those earning low wages, price increases hit us much, much harder than the richest residents of the Upper East Side who may own two or three homes.”
The reality is that many older adults have already survived trauma—and those experiences carry so much wisdom, perspective, and resilience to share as a result. Investments to increase access to mental health support for seniors would go a long way.
“The Carbon Free and Healthy Schools plan would be transformational: it would institute energy audits and retrofits of each school, repair and replace HVAC systems, invest in climate resiliency upgrades, and electrify our fleet of school buses. It would make use of schools’ large rooftops to generate solar power and increase school buildings’ overall energy efficiency.”
“We must demand systemic changes to ensure that incarcerated mothers have the opportunity to be part of their kids’ lives. Not just during Mother’s Day, but all year round.”
“Treatment Not Jail offers the possibility of mental health treatment courts for all justice-involved New Yorkers and improves upon the prevailing model of drug courts.”
“Deeply affordable housing with supportive services for this population has a proven track record of success and hits all the Adams administration’s goals of efficiency, smart government, addressing problems at their root, and getting things done.”
“By refusing to send our trash to the communities adjacent to waste transfer stations, landfills, and incinerators—predominantly low-income communities of color—our city will be taking concrete steps to stand in solidarity with the struggles of environmental justice communities fighting to protect their land, air, and health.”
“The restoration of voting rights in many states for those with felony histories is an encouraging step. In the same spirit, we must educate New York’s families of their right to choose who will protect the generational wealth they have worked so hard to earn and leave to their loved ones.”
“We have all been on our path to accepting COVID-19 as a part of our lives, but let’s not forget that the stakes are higher for some.”
“Many food management companies and producers of color are small to mid-sized, and we have benefited from the added flexibility in the way schools negotiate. The waivers have allowed us to retain staff and pay an honest living wage and continue buying fresh produce while serving scratch-made meals to a larger student body.”
“As mayor, Adams now wields more power and influence than ever before, and for this reason, his pro-respectability mindset is a serious cause for concern.”