The Harlem Neighborhood Block Association

Neighbors united to improve the quality of life in Harlem

Tag: MMPCIA

Block Party on 126th Street

Posted on by Harlem Shill

The 2041/5th HDFC Co-Op (on the corner of 126th Street and 5th Avenue) will be hosting their 2nd Annual Block Party: A Great Day In Harlem Kids Party on August 12, 2023.

The Community Board (CB11) will review this Block Party using Event ID: 698307. If you have any comments on this proposed date/event, please reach out to Community Board 11.

We are looking forward to a welcoming, child-focused block party for neighborhood families and youth this summer.

Stoop Sale Postponed to May 7

DUE TO WEATHER MMPCIA STOOP SALE POSTPONED SUNDAY, APRIL 30, 2023
April 28, 2023
Subject: MMPCIA Stoop Sale 2023 

Dear Neighbor,
Due to the weather, the MMPCIA Stoop Sale Day event scheduled for Sunday, April 30, 2023, from 10 am – 3 pm has been postponed. THE NEW DATE is Sunday, May 7, 2023, from 10 am – 3 pm. 
If you are unable to participate because of the date change, we are sorry, and we look forward to your participation next year and in other MMPCIA community-wide events. Please Email [email protected] today, and we will remove your address from our MMPCIA Stoop Sale location listing. 

The flyer has details of the participating houses and buildings; please feel free to share this with your bargain-loving friends and relatives. 

As previously stated, all registrants are responsible for disposing of any items you do not sell or give away and ensuring that the area in front of your house or building is clean and tidy after the sale.
The Goodwill NYNJ Store & Donation Center at 2221 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10035 may be interested in your unsold items, and you can reach them at (212) 410-0973.

Please take lots of pictures and share your stoop sale photos on:
Facebook: Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association (MMPCIA Group)

Instagram: @mmpcia 
Twitter: @MountMorrisPark and be sure to use the hashtag: #MMPCIA

If you are not already a member of MMPCIA, please consider joining us, or you can donate via our website or via Zelle to [email protected].
Looking forward to the stoop sale on May 7th! 

MMPCIA Stoop Sales Team!

Harlem’s Worlds Fair, 1883

Posted on by Harlem Shill

No, the Harlem World’s Fair did not happen in 1883, nor did it happen at all. But it was proposed in this great illustration from Demarest’s Monthly Magazine, November 1879 (thank you to Harlem Bespoke that originally drew my attention to this image):

The fair would essentially be on the Columbia University land, and stretch from Morningside Park to Riverside Park, and bound on the south side by 110th, and on 125th, on the north.

Note the elevated line entering the frame on the bottom left, on 9th Avenue, then zig zagging to 8th Ave. in the curve of death (a ‘popular’ suicide location before the train was rerouted underground under Central Park West:

In the postcard above, note St.John’s the Devine under the tracks, in the distance – just one arch built.

Stoop Sale On Sunday

Register for the Candidate’s Forum Next Week

Posted on by Harlem Shill

Join The Greater Harlem Coalition and MMPCIA at next week’s Harlem City Council Candidates’ Forum. The forum will begin at 7 PM on Thursday, April 27th.

Harlem’s current City Councilmember declined to attend.

If you have questions for the candidates, fill out this form after registering for the Zoom webinar.

Claire Oliver Gallery

Make sure to check out the fantastic exhibit at Claire Oliver Gallery by Simone Saunders, called: Unearthing Unicorns
The exhibit will be up 17 March – 13 May 2023 and consists of hand-tufted velvet, acrylic and wool yarn on muslin warp artwork. The artist writes:

“Unearthing Unicorns references both literal and figurative iterations of the historical fable,” states Saunders. “I reimagine stories played out in our history, such as the famous and treasured Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries, to show Black women portrayed as being highly valued and respected. Through my work, I want to empower and encourage Black women to never shrink ourselves and instead lean into being the fierce, graceful, and beautiful being that we are – just like the Unicorn. Unearthing Unicorns also allows me to scrutinize the art historical canon and pull fables that are rooted in colonialism. My goal with this exhibition is to remix these allegories and put Black womanhood as the center of a story where she is not present, and define that character as one that embodies joy, strength and resilience.”

Open Plans

Posted on by Harlem Shill

OpenPlans.org wanted to thank all the HNBA members for the opportunity to present at the HNBA April meeting! Everyone is urged to reach out with any follow up questions and feel free to share the presentation (below) with anyone who might be interested. 

Emily also wanted to share their white paper on parking mandates in case folks from your block association are interested in learning more. Here’s a graphic that can be really helpful as well!

Lastly, OpenPlans wanted to invite you to a book launch party they’re hosting in May. It’s for Henry Grabar’s book, Paved Paradise. The event is free, here’s the link to RSVP if you’re interested!

—Emily Chingay (she/her) Citywide Engagement Advocate Open Plans 914.523.9161

MMPCIA Stoop Sale

Register here:

MMPCIA Stoop Sale Registration – Sunday, April 30, 2023

The MMPCIA Stoop Sale 2022 was a fun and successful community event. Last year eighty plus households spread throughout our MMPCIA catchment area (116th Street to 124th from Madison Avenue to Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd.) participated. We hope to increase that number this year with your participation.

The MMPCIA Stoop Sale is an exciting opportunity to bring out your gently used unwanted items to sell or give away to people in the community or passersby who love a good deal and thrifty finds.  

We are excited that you are registering for our 2nd Annual Mount Morris Community Improvement Association’s Stoop Sale on Sunday, April 30, 2023, from 10 AM to 3 PM.

  • Date: Sunday, April 30, 2023 
  • (Rain Date: Sunday, May 7, 2023)
    • Start Time: 10 AM
    • End Time: 3 PM
    • Clean-Up: 3:00 – 4:00 PM 

We will spread the word in and around our community and for those who register, we will also send you digital marketing materials via email to print, post and share with your networks closer to the April 30. We will include a map showing the locations of stoop sales within the MMPCIA catchment area.

  • Register by Friday, April 21, 2023, we will include your location address on our map for marketing purposes. 
  • Late Registration Closes on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. 

To register, please answer the questionnaire!

If you have any questions, please email MMPCIA [email protected]. In the subject line, write “MMPCIA Stoop Sale.”

Artist Addresses the Hidden Horror of Dr. Sims

Posted on by Harlem Shill
The statue of Dr. Sims in East Harlem being removed from 5th Avenue/Central Park

Bloomberg has an article on a new artwork in Montgomery: The Mothers of Gynecology, and the artist and activist Michelle Browder who created this sculpture to challenge and refute the legacy of Dr. Sims.

The Mothers of Gynecology

Browder’s monument honoring the “Mothers of Gynecology” — Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey, enslaved girls who underwent dozens of vaginal procedures by Sims – not only addresses the racist and torturous legacy of Dr. Sims, but also a painting from 1952 that portrayed Dr. Sims.

The painting by Robert Thom made Browder want to understand the women forced to endure Sims’s experiments. While in the painting, the physician is depicted with a benevolent bearing as he inspects his patient; in the background, two Black women cower behind a curtain. The painter inflates the likely age of the ladies: Anarcha was thought to be 17 when she was treated by Sims. And there’s no sign of the restraints that would be used in place of anesthesia or other numbing techniques.

The artist, Michelle Browder

To see the full Bloomberg story:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-10/forging-a-memorial-to-the-forgotten-mothers-of-gynecology

Scholarship From MMPCIA For College-Bound Seniors

The Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association is proud to announce the enrollment period for the 2022 MMPCIA Scholarship Program 
All college-bound Harlem high school seniors who meet the criteria are encouraged to apply. Please visit the following link: 
Scholarship Application  
Deadline for completed applications is June 30th.
Please spread the word to the Harlem high school seniors you know! 
MMPCIA Education CommitteeDetails:The Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association (MMPCIA) $4,000 Scholarship Award began as a way of honoring college-bound Harlem high school seniors who live in Greater Mount Morris Park/Central Harlem Community from 110th to 135th Streets between Morningside and Third Avenues.
The scholarship is awarded in the amount of $1,000 annually for four consecutive years as long as students remain in school full time.
For additional information go to MMPCIA.ORG
or send inquiries to [email protected]

Puerto Rican Pride Parade on June 12th

Show your Puerto Rican pride and march on June 12 in the 65th annual National Puerto Rican Day Parade.

NEW YORK – JUNE 13: Spectators watch the ninth annual Puerto Rican Day Parade pass by June 13, 2004 in New York City. Tens of thousands of people lined Fifth Avenue for the parade. (Photo by Stephen Chernin/Getty Images)

Stoop Sale Tomorrow at 10:00

Posted on by Harlem Shill

Tomorrow, May 1st is Stoop Sale Day

Come bargain hunting for antiques, toys, clothes, furniture, household items, and wonderful things that residents in the Mount Morris Historic District Community are selling or giving away. Spread the word in your community.

Where: Mount Morris Park Historic District (116th – 125th Street from Madison to Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.)

Time: 10 am – 3 pm
Link to updated map of houses/buildings hosting a sale: https://rebrand.ly/6re

Juneteenth Celebration

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN for the 3rd Annual Juneteenth 5K Run/Walk/Roll this year in Central Park. The event will end with tours of Seneca Village.

Register: https://events.elitefeats.com/22juneteenth

Can’t join us in person? Sign up to participate VIRTUALLY!

This event is a joyful reclaiming of space and history. We hope you will join us!

All proceeds from the Juneteenth March go towards the building fund of the Harlem Center. The center is a 10-year effort started by a coalition of New York-centered community-based organizations (CBOs).

Let’s continue to evolve the 21st Century towards #Inclusionism.

WeOweUS

Stoop Sale on Sunday

Posted on by Harlem Shill

The weekend weather looks amazing. Hope you can come out to the neighborhood-wide stoop sale:

Demolished Church Lot and Trash

Before the pandemic, the brownstone Metropolitan Church at the corner of 126 and Madison was demolished and a fenced-off rubble lot was left. A number of neighbors have complained about dumping and trash build-up on East 126th Street.

If you see trash building up, please contact 311 immediately:

https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-02097

You can also contact the company who should be regularly cleaning the sidewalk:

1975 Management: Matt Frank – 516-369-3095

Dog Run Volunteers Needed

Posted on by Harlem Shill

JOIN US ON
SUNDAY, MAY 1 @ 9 AM – 1 PM

for our Spring Cleaning event.  Tasks will include spreading mulch, raking, weeding, and painting.  These cleanup events are not just an opportunity to tidy up and beautify our park, it’s an opportunity to get to know your neighbors.  As usual, we will provide hand, sanitizer, face masks and gloves, and there will be coffee and breakfast treats.

The dog park is maintained solely by volunteers, and is funded by charitable donations.  If you are unable to participate in this event, please consider supporting our efforts by making a tax-deductible contribution to the Marcus Garvey Park Alliance.  When donating, please make sure to indicate that your donation is to support the Dog Park.  

  For more information, or to get more involved, 
email [email protected]

See you there!

MMPCIA Stoop Sale

May 1st is MMPCIA’s Stoop Sale Day!

Join MMPCIA

Posted on by Harlem Shill

Join MMPCIA for a conversation with the commander of the 28th Precinct (the southern half of central Harlem) to learn more about what the NYPD intends to do to address the increase in crime in our community.

General Membership Meeting: Tuesday, February 15th, 6:30PM
ZOOM LINK
Meeting ID: 868 4723 49171 646 558 8656 (New York)
ZOOM: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86847234917Meeting ID: 868 4723 4917
Join MMPCIA in a discussion with our 28th Precinct Commander Deputy Inspector Andre Brown

Scenes from the Upper Manhattan Asian American Association’s Celebration of the Lunar New Year

Marcus Meets Malcolm and the Upper Manhattan Asian American Association celebrated the lunar new year on West 120th Street yesterday.

There was an upper Manhattan dance troupe, martial arts demonstrations, food, games, and more.

Large crowds, perfect weather, and the shared goal of a vibrant, tolerant, multicultural, and thriving Harlem was in abundant evidence.

The Victoria Tower Residences

Posted on by Harlem Shill

The Victoria Tower Residences on 125th street is starting to show apartments. The building is behind, yet incorporates the facade of the old Victoria Theater.

The 27-story high rise shares its space with the Renaissance Marriot Hotel and is being marketed as a luxury building with a two-story lounge, multiple meeting rooms, a fitness center, and adjacent restaurants that will offer residential tenants hotel services.

To schedule a tour, see:

http://www.victoriatowerresidences.com/index.cfm?e=inner4&itemcategory=93076

35 West 110th Street

This may be the only externally mounted clock in Harlem. 35 West 110th Street.

Note the address is on the clock itself and yes, the time is correct.

November 2, looms

Nov. 2 is when we’ll lock in our choices for a ton of open seats in city government. Not only are we choosing a new mayor, comptroller and five new borough presidents, term limits mean the bulk of the City Council is turning over, too. 

New York’s crowded primary this past June had relatively high turnout, as nearly three in 10 registered voters cast ballots. (It’s a low bar.) 

Now, the city returns to the polls to finalize our picks in the General Election on Nov. 2.

But Election Day is merely the last day you can cast your ballot: Keep these key earlier dates in mind:

  • Oct. 18 — Last day you can request an absentee ballot online or by mail to vote at home or outside of the city. Request your absentee ballot from the city Board of Elections (BOE) here. You can mail your ballot in any time before Election Day.
  • Oct. — The early voting period begins, running through Halloween. 
  • Nov. 1 — Last day to request an absentee ballot in person.
  • Nov. 2 — Election Day and the last day to postmark your absentee ballot.

Halloween Events from MMPCIA