Dear ones,
Today begins the second impeachment trial of Donald J. Trump. His presidency was an unnatural disaster that culminated with a direct attack on Congress. The trial itself is good news, in that it provides an opportunity for the nation to hear the compelling tale of what happened on January 6 and who was responsible for the attempted coup. However the Senate votes, the trial will have major consequences for how we understand the story. This will not be the Truth and Reconciliation process that we need to heal our divided nation, but it will be an important step. It is time for a reckoning.
Please plan a one-hour break from the national drama to stand up for caregivers in NYS seeking fair wages.
Sign up for today’s 11 AM #FairPay4HomeCare Campaign Launch.
Yesterday, I highlighted a disturbing story about Victor Rivera, the head of a housing non-profit called the Bronx Parent Housing Network. Rivera has a long history of harassing his employees and sexually abusing women who are dependent on him for housing. The mayor read the same story and compelled the Department of Social Services to conduct an immediate audit of all of the city’s shelters. There are about 70 groups that operate shelters in the enormous system; Rivera’s organization is one of them. The Bronx DA is now investigating BPHN, but it isn’t clear if they are focusing on financial crimes (which were also detailed in the article) or Rivera’s behavior toward clients and employees.
In a statement released on Monday, the board of directors of the Bronx Parent Housing Network said it had fired Mr. Rivera, 60, and condemned what it called his “abhorrent and abusive conduct.”
These overdue actions on the part of the city and the organization that employed Rivera qualify as good news. Reckoning must begin somewhere.
Support Her Justice, a group that pairs well-trained pro bono attorneys with women to break down systemic barriers that reinforce and exacerbate gender, racial, and economic imbalances.
We are still in the reckoning stages of dealing with the climate crisis, but more decisive action is needed. National Grid is behind an insidious effort to commit the public to fossil fuel dependence by expanding a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility at the head of the North Brooklyn Pipeline. The campaign to stop the Department of Environmental Conservation from approving the permits is unfolding in parts, so while this action looks familiar, it is part two of a four-part action. Commit to the whole set!
Please write a new comment on the Liquefied Natural Gas permits; the talking points are provided and the whole process takes a few minutes. If you only have a minute, adapt mine.
You probably heard that the Mayor announced that NYC middle schools will reopen for in-person instruction on February 25, more than three months after they were shuttered. The city will prioritize vaccines for middle school teachers in the coming weeks (they have been eligible) and will increase staffing for weekly Covid-testing at schools. The citywide test positivity rate is still over eight percent.
The return of students to middle schools will be the latest in the school system’s turbulent year of anxious openings and abrupt closures during an ongoing pandemic that has seen over 14,000 confirmed COVID cases among students and staff, between September 2020 and February 7th, 2021.
There is no indication yet of when the high schools will reopen. I’m not sure that yesterday’s announcement qualifies as good news, especially since families will not have the opportunity to opt back into hybrid instruction. The confusion and stress that has resulted from the uncertainty, the sudden closures, and the changing guidance has taken a toll.
Many school communities have been frustrated by the lack of consistency because of the closures, with more than 700 buildings closing down for at least 10 days in the month since winter break, according to public data.
Roughly 53% of the 1,052 school buildings that reopened in December have experienced closures of two to 10 days, according to education department officials.
There are, however, undeniable advantages to bringing back in-person instruction, especially given the low rates of transmission at schools. We will have to find our way back to in-person everything, and school is the right place to start.
Have a good day!
with love,
L