Sign The Petition!

The Greater Harlem Coalition has just launched a petition on Change.org:

www.Change.org/CommunityHarmReduction

New York State’s Assembly and Senate Members should reject The Safer Consumption Act, bill s399/a338, unless the following 6 Safety Guardrails are added to the bill.

  • Open many supervised injection sites (SISs) or none at all
  • Keep injection sites 500 feet from schools and playgrounds
  • Allocate more funding to arrest drug dealers and end open-air drug scenes
  • Establish a formal community engagement plan with local residents
  • Hold SIS’s providers accountable for referring users to treatment
  • Add addiction programs to NYC’s 36 Assembly Districts that are treatment deserts

Harlem’s supervised injection site is located two blocks away from 9 schools with +4250 students and nearly 4000 residents – most of whom are people of color. Before adding more harm reduction services in this area, New York City and New York State should reduce the number of existing services in Harlem.

Please sign the Change.org petition. When you sign the petition, please make sure to add why you are signing and how this issue has affected you.

Spring Break Teen Talent Show

A free Comedy in Harlem event. All welcome. Open mic! April 11th.

Sign The Petition!

The Greater Harlem Coalition has just launched a petition on Change.org:

www.Change.org/CommunityHarmReduction

New York State’s Assembly and Senate Members should reject The Safer Consumption Act, bill s399/a338, unless the following 6 Safety Guardrails are added to the bill.

  • Open many supervised injection sites (SISs) or none at all
  • Keep injection sites 500 feet from schools and playgrounds
  • Allocate more funding to arrest drug dealers and end open-air drug scenes
  • Establish a formal community engagement plan with local residents
  • Hold SIS’s providers accountable for referring users to treatment
  • Add addiction programs to NYC’s 36 Assembly Districts that are treatment deserts

Harlem’s supervised injection site is located two blocks away from 9 schools with +4250 students and nearly 4000 residents – most of whom are people of color. Before adding more harm reduction services in this area, New York City and New York State should reduce the number of existing services in Harlem.

Please sign the Change.org petition. When you sign the petition, please make sure to add why you are signing and how this issue has affected you.

Community Cleanup

Please join the Lex & 3rd Block Association on April 1st for a Cherry Tree Park Clean Up

Boriken: Transgender Day of Visibility

Sugar Hill Petition

A new community group in Sugar Hill is protesting the oversaturation of Harlem. Their petition link and petition statement is below:

Petition Link:

https://chng.it/kJLBQFyw

Petition Statement:

Harlem should not have to bear the burden for the city homeless, mentally ill and drug addicted population.  All communities in NYC should bear their fair share of services.  Harlem is unduly burden with  permanent, temporary, emergency shelters, transitional housing, safe haven, stabilization beds, supportive housing facilities, substance abuse programs, Harm Reduction facilities as well as sewer treatment plants and Bus Depots.

Say No to the 1727 Amsterdam Ave Affordable/Supportive Housing Project and all other projects done under the cover of night, disguised as Affordable Housing and placed in our community.   

Say No to1727 Amsterdam  which will  replaced a health care facility with 120 apartments for  people with mental illness and drug addiction

Say No to the placement of facilities across from or near school or in areas that contain other shelters, supportive housing and drug treatment centers. 

Say No to the city providing loans to nonprofits and developer known for failure to fulfill it contract and/or misuse of funds.  Say No to the give away of taxpayer money under the guise of loans which may or may not have to be paid back.  BRC (Bowery Residents’ Committee) stated that they may not have to pay back the 80+ Million loan from the City.

Say No to Health and Hospital Corp  (HHC) reducing the number of Psychiatric beds and moving their patients into supportive housing, shifting the burden to the community.

If we allow BRC (Bowery Residents’ Committee) to develop 1727 Amsterdam Ave a project that has been in the works for 3 years under the cover of darkness, how many more facilities will be placed in our community without our knowledge or input. 

Our goal is to balance compassion with the demand that Harlem should not have to bear the burden and that all communities take their fair share. 

 Over saturation directly contribute to drug related criminal activities in Harlem and put undue burden on the police forces and merchants in Harlem.  It puts the community and our children in danger and degrades our standard of living.  We should not have to live in fear when leaving our homes. 

We Support 100% Affordable Housing and Fair Share.

Caribbean New Yorkers

The largest wave of immigrants from the Caribbean came to Harlem during the Harlem renaissance. Indeed, many of the greatest artists, luminaries, and thinkers of the Harlem Renaissance were Caribbean-born. Claude McKay, Marcus Garvey, and Arturo Schomburg.

Claude McKay

Almost a quarter of Harlem’s Black population was foreign-born in the 1920s. Earlier, however, in 1880, the distribution of Caribbean immigrants was thin:

However, by 1910, the beginnings of a Caribbean enclave around Lenox/5th Avenues and 131st to 138th Streets had begun:

The father of James Weldon Johnson – Harlem Renaissance poet and author of the Black National Anthem: Lift Every Voice and Sing – was born in the Bahamas and likely figured in the census data map, above.

See more at Mapping Historical New York.

Questlove Notes That Harlem in 2022 is Still Facing Many of the Issues it Faced in 1968

Governor Hochul & OASAS Commissioner Chinazo Cunningham: Stop Fueling the Overdose Epidemic!

We are asking Governor Hochul and Commissioner Cunningham to commit to reducing the disproportionate density of drug programs in communities of color like Harlem. We believe that a fair-share distribution of small-scale, effective, and holistic OASAS-licensed programs in all New York neighborhoods will lead to more effective outcomes and reduce overdose deaths. By leveraging the OASAS relicensing process and new Opioid Settlement funds, Governor Hochul and Commissioner Cunningham have the power to rebalance OASAS programs on a geographic and racial fair-share basis.

Sign the petition if you agree.

Currently, the imbalance in Harlem is such that 75% of the opioid treatment patients that OASAS sends to programs located in Harlem and East Harlem do not live in our community – traveling from as far away as Staten Island. While our community only accounts for 8% of all opioid treatment patients, OASAS sends 20% of all patients to Harlem every day. We are advocating for OASAS to decentralize the concentration of opioid centers in Harlem and commit to a data-driven and equitable approach that increases access to community-based programs that are small-scale, effective, and holistic.

Why is this important?
We ask OASAS to join us in fighting this imbalance for three reasons. First, we know that when programs are more conveniently located in all neighborhoods, drug treatment success increases with positive outcomes. Second, we know that the current presence of treatment mega-centers in communities of color reinforces the message that addiction is a Black issue and one that should be contained in Black neighborhoods. Third, concentrating the majority of the city’s programs in Harlem fuels the overdose epidemic. New Yorkers shouldn’t have to go out of their way to access vital care. Equitably distributing the locations of treatment centers throughout NY will not only work towards racial justice, it will also lead to better health outcomes for all.

Sign the petition if you agree.

Just Looking Down

Walking past the Fred Moore School with it’s great (sanctioned) graffiti:

I looked down and noticed, stuck in the concrete of a window well, a geodetic bench mark from the US Coast and Geodetic Survey:

Locating a survey marker in a window well seemed a poor choice, given that the wall of the school restricted visibility from the marker to just over 180 degrees, and also that plantings between the window well and the school fence were likely to result in roots that could crack the concrete.

Sure enough, a closer look at the marker shows a number of cracks that would likely render the marker ‘good enough’ but certainly not down to the millimeter.

As you can see from the photo above, the marker was placed there a few years after the school was built (1949), and while the marker has space for noting the elevation above sea level, that part of the bronze marker is unmarked.

To learn more you need to go to this site:

https://geodesy.noaa.gov/datasheets/

where you can find the markers closest to wherever you are in the US. Looking at northern Manhattan, you can see that there are a few around, mostly near the water:

The one I’d stumbled across is listed here:

has its own data sheet that tells more about its location, height, and even that accuracy is sketchy

https://geodesy.noaa.gov/datasheets/

The gist might be that it’s about 6.7m or 22 feet above sea level

To learn more about Fred Moore, see:

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/moore-playground/history

PROGRAM = datasheet95, VERSION = 8.12.5.14
Starting Datasheet Retrieval...
1        National Geodetic Survey,   Retrieval Date = DECEMBER 29, 2021
 KU1032 ***********************************************************************
 KU1032  DESIGNATION -  V 338
 KU1032  PID         -  KU1032
 KU1032  STATE/COUNTY-  NY/NEW YORK
 KU1032  COUNTRY     -  US
 KU1032  USGS QUAD   -  CENTRAL PARK (2019)
 KU1032
 KU1032                         *CURRENT SURVEY CONTROL
 KU1032  ______________________________________________________________________
 KU1032* NAD 83(1986) POSITION- 40 48 35.     (N) 073 56 22.     (W)   SCALED    
 KU1032* NAVD 88 ORTHO HEIGHT -     6.775 (meters)       22.23  (feet) ADJUSTED  
 KU1032  ______________________________________________________________________
 KU1032  GEOID HEIGHT    -        -31.556 (meters)                     GEOID18
 KU1032  DYNAMIC HEIGHT  -          6.772 (meters)       22.22  (feet) COMP
 KU1032  MODELED GRAVITY -    980,258.2   (mgal)                       NAVD 88
 KU1032
 KU1032  VERT ORDER      -  FIRST     CLASS II
 KU1032
 KU1032.The horizontal coordinates were scaled from a map and have
 KU1032.an estimated accuracy of +/- 6 seconds.
 KU1032.
 KU1032.The orthometric height was determined by differential leveling and
 KU1032.adjusted by the NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY
 KU1032.in June 1991.
 KU1032
 KU1032.Significant digits in the geoid height do not necessarily reflect accuracy.
 KU1032.GEOID18 height accuracy estimate available here.
 KU1032
 KU1032.Click photographs - Photos may exist for this station.
 KU1032
 KU1032.The dynamic height is computed by dividing the NAVD 88
 KU1032.geopotential number by the normal gravity value computed on the
 KU1032.Geodetic Reference System of 1980 (GRS 80) ellipsoid at 45
 KU1032.degrees latitude (g = 980.6199 gals.).
 KU1032
 KU1032.The modeled gravity was interpolated from observed gravity values.
 KU1032
 KU1032;                    North         East    Units  Estimated Accuracy
 KU1032;SPC NY L     -    71,410.      305,110.      MT  (+/- 180 meters Scaled)
 KU1032
 KU1032_U.S. NATIONAL GRID SPATIAL ADDRESS: 18TWL894181(NAD 83)
 KU1032
 KU1032                          SUPERSEDED SURVEY CONTROL
 KU1032
 KU1032  NGVD 29 (??/??/92)    7.104  (m)           23.31   (f) ADJ UNCH    1 2
 KU1032
 KU1032.Superseded values are not recommended for survey control.
 KU1032
 KU1032.NGS no longer adjusts projects to the NAD 27 or NGVD 29 datums.
 KU1032.See file dsdata.pdf to determine how the superseded data were derived.
 KU1032
 KU1032_MARKER: DB = BENCH MARK DISK
 KU1032_SETTING: 32 = SET IN A RETAINING WALL OR CONCRETE LEDGE
 KU1032_SP_SET: RETAINING WALL
 KU1032_STAMPING: V 338 1952
 KU1032_MARK LOGO: CGS
 KU1032_STABILITY: C = MAY HOLD, BUT OF TYPE COMMONLY SUBJECT TO
 KU1032+STABILITY: SURFACE MOTION
 KU1032
 KU1032  HISTORY     - Date     Condition        Report By
 KU1032  HISTORY     - 1952     MONUMENTED       CGS
 KU1032  HISTORY     - 20031216 GOOD             INDIV
 KU1032
 KU1032                          STATION DESCRIPTION
 KU1032
 KU1032'DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1952
 KU1032'AT NEW YORK.
 KU1032'AT NEW YORK, IN BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, AT INTERSECTION OF 5TH
 KU1032'AVENUE AND EAST 131ST STREET, 33 FEET SOUTHEAST OF SOUTHEAST CURB
 KU1032'OF 5TH AVENUE, 100 1/2 FEET SOUTHWEST OF SOUTHWEST CURB OF EAST
 KU1032'131ST STREET, IN THE TOP OF NORTH CORNER OF RETAINING WALL OF AIR
 KU1032'SHAFT FOR BASEMENT WINDOW OF PUBLIC SCHOOL NO. 133 (FRED R. MOORE
 KU1032'SCHOOL), 8.4 FEET SOUTHWEST OF CENTER OF ENTRANCE TO SCHOOL AND
 KU1032'ABOUT 0.4 FOOT ABOVE SIDE WALK.
 KU1032
 KU1032                          STATION RECOVERY (2003)
 KU1032
 KU1032'RECOVERY NOTE BY INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS 2003 (DS)
 KU1032'RECOVERED IN GOOD CONDITION.

Harlem Library

Here is a second, US Coast and Geodetic Survey, found in Harlem (built into the Harlem Library, next to Marcus Garvey Park.

Harlem Residents Protest Property Taxes While Being Oversaturated

To sign the petition to end the oversaturation of Harlem and East Harlem, see:

Bit.ly/FAIRSHARE4HARLEM

Petition for a Better Harlem and Sample Free Food

Jordan Pie Cafe on 116th and Madison is now offering an expanded full menu of vegan food. They are so generous to host a community event for all neighbors to sample their food.

Come out on Friday, 3 – 5:00 PM to sign petitions for a Harlem tax abatement, reduce the overconcentration of drug treatment programs, and allow our members to run for county committee.

We need you to come out.

Jordan Pie Cafe, 18 E 116th St, New York, NY 10029, USA

Sign the petition here:

https://campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/end-the-systemic-pattern-of-locating-opioid-treatment-in-black-communities-1

See you Friday!

https://www.instagram.com/jordanpiecafe/?hl=en

The 25th Precinct Wants You to Join the NYPD

I wanted to advise all of you that the filing period for the NYPD Police Officer Exam has been extended to March 14th. On behalf of all of us here at the 25, we would love your help in spreading the word! We rely greatly on our community relationships in order to reach as many prospective police officers we can in our very own community. In advance, I would like to thank you for your help. 
I am also attaching the Recruitment Pamphlet and Social Media Links for those who want to register for the test. Feel free to disseminate those as you wish. You can also refer anyone interested to me, or Officer Powers to help with registration if needed. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me by email or call/text at my cell number below. Thank you again for your partnership.

Respectfully,

Police Officer Jaylise C​osme

25th Precinct Community Affairs

New York City Police Department

Cell: 917-941-7672

Office: 212-860-6526

Email: [email protected]
​Follow us on Twitter: @nypd25pct

International Women’s Day Petition

 
Get Ready! International Women’s Day (March 8) will be here before we know it! What better way to celebrate and honor the women in your life than to make International Women’s Day a New York State holiday!  
The Red Carpet for Justice Coalition needs your help in the campaign to get the New York State Legislature to adopt March 8 as a state holiday. Please sign the petition!   
Please share this link with your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. networks or download a pdf and print and circulate the petitions in person. Printed petitions can be scanned and emailed back to either Minerva Solla ([email protected]) or Michelle Keller ([email protected]). Thank you!
Sign the Online Petition!
Download a Printable Petition (Letter Size) 
Download a Printable Petition (Legal Size)
Download a Printable Petition in Spanish 

Preserving Places of Significance for Black History

New York City has a great interactive map and article on site within the 5 boroughs that are important for our collective history, and Black history in particular. The site: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/2e2f8343e7254e948f5a0d3699ba91fd is a great resource and the interactive aspect of the map allows you to focus on whichever aspects of the built landscape you’re interested in viewing.

Harlem Restaurant Week

Harlem Restaurant Week kicked off on Valentine’s Day, with some 50 restaurants across Harlem participating with takeout, delivery, outdoor and indoor dining.

Organized by Harlem Park to Park, this year’s campaign runs through February 28 and features $25 specials to celebrate the 25% capacity return to indoor dining, plus “Best In Harlem $10 Eats.”

Participating East Harlem restaurants include: Au Jus Oklahoma BBQChu Ros ThaiDear Mama CoffeeEast Harlem Bottling Co.El PasoEvelyn’s KitchenGAUDirJaguarMalii Thai KitchenOllinSantiago’s Beer Garden and Teranga. For menus, see www.harlemrestaurantweek.com.