Welcome to Harlem’s Newsletter

  • Film Studio

    The Harlem African Burial Ground development project has been put on hold and as a consequence, the abandoned MTA bus depot that currently occupies the site remains shuttered. In the past, however, this site has also been the location for a film studio. The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio was located between 126/127th and 2nd Avenue and…

  • Little Free Library

    The Marcus Garvey Park Alliance does such a great job on so many different projects that it’s hard to highlight just one thing that stands out. Today, however, I had finished the book ‘The Wanderers’ by our neighbor Richard Price, and wanted to donate it. I took it to one of two small lending library…

  • Mail In Your Vote and Honor Wesley A. Williams

    The image (above) from The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is of Wesley A. Williams, a Black mail carrier/driver from 1915. Wesley was photographed under the presidency of Woodrow Wilson, a notoriously racist American President who re:segregated the Post Office (from Vox – https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2015/11/20/9766896/woodrow-wilson-racist): Easily the worst part of Wilson’s record as president…

  • East Harlem is Overburdened with 14% of Drug Treatment Capacity in NYC
    East Harlem is Overburdened with 14% of Drug Treatment Capacity in NYC

    While East Harlem has 1.5% of New York City’s population, it has 13.6% of New York City’s drug treatment capacity, according to data as of 2019 from NY agency OASAS. The graphic below illustrates how severely East Harlem is oversaturated with drug treatment facilities. This unfair social injustice MUST END! With so many patients commuting…

  • The Greater Harlem Coalition Pressures the Mayor

    Patch.com reports on a letter The Greater Harlem Coalition wrote to Mayor De Blasio about deteriorating conditions in our community. https://patch.com/new-york/harlem/harlem-group-asks-action-drug-use-homelessness You can learn more about the Greater Harlem Coalition here: GreaterHarlem.nyc And sign-up for email updates by emailing: GreaterHarlemCoalition@gmail.com Filmed by Bike If you are a BIPOC filmmaker and interested in funding, the Filmed…

  • HNBA October Meeting and Uptown Grand Central

    Hello Harlem Neighbors, we are canceling our October HNBA meeting but encourage you to consider joining CIVITAS in a fundraising evening, celebrating an unbelievable force in East Harlem: Uptown Grand Central and Carey King. Join CIVITAS Tuesday, October 13th, 2020Virtual Annual Benefit6:30pm to 7:15pm The CIVITAS Benefit Committee and the CIVITAS Board of Directors request the pleasure…

  • 2nd Avenue Subway

    The City reports that despite a budget crisis, the MTA continues to plan for extending the Second Avenue Subway into East Harlem. Even though the pandemic-spurred economic crisis has put the project back, the MTA continues to work with building and property owners to try to purchase sites needed for air shafts, emergency exits, subway…

  • Signs Seen Around The Neighborhood

    These signs speak for themselves. And to sum it all up, a great list from Astor Row: Events at the Harlem Rose Garden The Harlem Rose Garden (East 129th Street at 5th Avenue) is hosting a number of events in October. Garden members thought it would be a great idea to host a series of…

  • Harlem Quilts Project

    “The Harlem Quilts” series stems from the idea that quilts were displayed and used as code to mark the escape routes for the Underground Railroad.  Curated by Eileen Jeng-Lynch, Art Off-Screen is an international exhibition of artwork placed in outdoor locations so that the work can viewed by the community. Art off-screen provides access to art…

  • Salvation Army

    The Salvation Army wanted to let everyone know that it continues to offer its regular feeding program to anyone in need at their 125th Street location. Additionally, they reported to HNBA that their music school for children is running in a virtual format and currently have 35 children registered this semester. Their East View residence…

  • Enroll in the Rat Academy (yes, it’s a thing)

    You have likely heard (and perhaps seen) that rats have made a comeback in the COVID era. With so many restaurants closed, or open in a reduced presence, rats have had to head toward residential garbage for their food needs. In New York City, property owners are required (PDF) to keep their properties rat-free and address conditions…

  • Build the Block – Thursday at 5:30 pm

    Sector C of the 25th Precinct will be holding a Build The Block event on Thursday at 5:30 pm at Ginjan Cafe – Park/125. Sector C is the sliver north of 115th Street, between 5th and Park Avenues. Bring any public safety concerns to the meeting.