After Harlem became the hub of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease this summer, the New York City Council heard testimony on ways to prevent the disease at a hearing on September 19. During the hearing, council members and other city officials discussed the outbreak and the preventative measures being taken to contain it since it was first discovered in late July 2025. 

According to the Center for Disease Control, Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. Legionnaires’ disease is not spread from person to person but is instead contracted through directly breathing in Legionella bacteria from contaminated mist. It can be deadly with complications and currently the death toll in Harlem is now at seven. 

The New York City Health Department attributes the recent outbreak to contaminated cooling systems in buildings in Harlem after a cluster investigation on the disease was completed in August. In 2015, after a Legionnaires’ outbreak in the Bronx, a law was passed, local law 77, which requires all cooling towers in the city to be registered and inspected, tested, cleaned, and disinfected in accordance with the law. Attendees of the hearing, including New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Health Department Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse, point to structural racism, which is racism deeply rooted in systems, laws, and policies, as a major factor in why certain communities are being impacted. Minority populated neighborhoods have a higher risk of the disease especially due to these neighborhoods lacking in resources and workers to keep cooling towers clean and safe water systems.

“It demands not just our attention, but our action. For far too long, outbreaks of these preventable illnesses have highlighted the inequities that exist in public health and in the maintenance of our city’s infrastructure,” Council member Yusef Salaam said. “The families in Harlem deserve the assurance that the water that they drink, the air that they breathe while they are near these cooling towers this time near their homes, and the buildings that they live in are in fact safe.” As a representative of District 9 and one of the wrongfully convicted Central Park Five, Salaam is a strong advocate for those underprivileged people of Harlem. It is that struggle that they face that causes him to continue to push for accountability and transparency to prevent such outbreaks. 

“I’d be remiss if I didn’t add my voice to the frustrations that anytime these things seem to be happening, it happens in particular communities, black and brown. It has happened in Harlem multiple times, the Bronx, which means we should expect that it may happen and be proactive in trying to prevent it and not reactive when it occurs. Hopefully we can figure out why it happened here and prevent it from happening again in honor of the people that we lost and the people that are concerned,” said Williams. He has been concerned about Legionnaires’ and has even held a town hall in August 2025 to demand action and ensure the public is aware of the issue. The town hall was held at Mt. Zion AME Church and hosted Harlem residents as well as assembly members and council members to address the outbreak. The town hall provided residents with information on how the disease is spread as well as affected zip codes in which they should remain vigilant. It also touched on how racial disparity makes the disease more common in minorities despite a lack of discrimination from the disease itself. Through his advocacy, Williams pushes to hold those in charge accountable and invest more in public health.

Dr. Morse, the acting health commissioner and chief medical officer of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, assured council members that the department sprung into immediate action to prevent and respond to the outbreak. The department had three solutions for immediate response to the spread of the disease. First, owners of buildings with cooling towers were to comply with health department regulations and local law 77. Second, the health department would conduct inspections of registered cooling towers to promote compliance with the law and aid owners in complying. The third solution is an infectious disease surveillance system which provides data 24 hours a day to try and catch infectious diseases before they become a major threat. When they first heard word of it over the summer, New Yorkers were urged to report it immediately if they experienced flu-like symptoms. 

“These neighborhoods have experienced consistent long-term generational disinvestment due to structural racism. As a result, we see higher rates of chronic disease and differences in the built environment, which puts residents of these neighborhoods at an unfairly greater risk of Legionnaires’ disease,” Morse said. “We look forward to working with council to continue to protect the health of New Yorkers in every zip code.” 

The health department provided transparency to New Yorkers by keeping all records of the disease cluster investigation public. Residents were able to stay updated from July 25th, 2025, the beginning of the investigation, to August 29th, 2025, the end of the investigation. Each step of the investigation is available on the NYC Health Department’s website. By working to provide transparency to New Yorkers and investing in public health, especially in poverty-stricken areas affected by structural racism, Morse believes it is possible that outbreaks like this can be prevented, and residents will remain healthy.

Over four hours, New York City Council members heard emotional public testimonies about immigrant children, adults and families living in fear and trauma, who face systematic barriers to mental health care.

Alexa Avilés, chair of the committee, opened the September 16 oversight hearing with a reminder of the city’s dependence on immigrants and their importance. “New York City owes a lot to immigrants. The richness of our arts, of our food, the strength and creativity of our businesses,” Avilés said. “This city is special because of immigrants, their children, and their great-grandchildren who live here, work, and learn here.”

Avilés criticized federal policies that have intensified fear in immigrant neighborhoods and families. “The toll these actions take on mental health and wellbeing of immigrants and their loved ones is unimaginable. Punitive policies have devastating consequences on the mental health of immigrants and their descendants,” said Avilés.

The committee’s goal was clear: to question city officials about what specific mental health resources are available to immigrant communities  regardless of status, and how their departments connect people to those services and how they ensure cultural sensitivity and language access. 

Facing council members, Kenneth Lo, Senior Advisor on Interagency Partnerships for Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), outlined  MOIA’s legal outreach, “ The 38 MOIA legal support centers help community members understand their legal options, providing a range of services.” As he explained, these centers are located in immigrant neighborhoods, so people can easily access services they need.

Nisha Agarwal, Executive Director for Policy and Communications at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), described the city’s 988 mental health hotline. “Interpretation support is available in over 200 languages. NYC 988 can refer callers to services that meet their individual needs and preferences including language, insurance and location,” said Agarwal. 

Despite the existing program, Agarwal acknowledged that there are still existing challenges. “Immigrant adults are nearly twice as likely to lack access to health insurance as US born adults. Immigrants with depression are less likely to receive mental health treatment compared to US born residents with depression,” she said. 

Avilés expressed gratitude to those officials who attended this hearing and also expressed frustration that top city officials did not attend, saying their absence signaled a lack of concern.

During the hearing, community members listened intently. When Council Member Alexa Avilés stated some of the most troubling facts about the city’s immigrant mental health crisis, they responded with quiet finger snaps — a subtle but powerful sign of solidarity and support.

As the city officials’ testimonies concluded, the focus shifted to members of the public, who shared professional views and personal stories. Their testimonies had a variety of views, but one thing was certain, many non-profit organisations are helping immigrant families to fight their fears and fight for their rights.

“With real language access, including indigenous languages, we can finally begin to build trust and reach more families who need help,” said Sierra Kraft, Executive Director of Immigrant Children Advocates’ Relief Effort (ICARE).

“Many students live with constant fear that their parents or loved ones could be detained or deported,”expressed Andrea Ortiz, DSC-NY Membership and Campaigns Director.    

“In class, there’s no bilingual social worker, no trusted adult who understands the language or cultural background of students. These kids are left without anyone to turn to,”said Jania Witherspoon, Co-Founder at The Circle Keepers.“We must invest in a workforce pipeline to train providers who can reflect the languages, cultures and lived experiences of our immigrant communities.” 

Charles Brown, Director of The Immigration Legal Program at Lutheran Social Services of New York (LSSNY) schools, expressed his opinion about officials’ testimonies and the city’s 988 hotline. “I think getting out into the community is important. Often many experience long wait times when they’re trying to reach services. They don’t end up going because the wait time is too long… I would love to see just some accountability on that.”

The NY Roadrunners’ Open Runs have a clear goal: to create a close-knit community in each borough to promote healthy habits and connections. They achieve this by setting up weekly runs all year long. 

On Tuesday, September 2nd, they gathered at Brooklyn Bridge Park for the opening run of the Fall season. They will also sponsor runs in other parks, including Canarsie and Highland in Brooklyn, Inwood Hill and Morningside in Manhattan, and Astoria Park in Queens. 

  JP, who preferred not to give his last name, has been volunteering with the Road Runners for almost a year at Brooklyn Bridge Park. He described a typical open run. “This park is a 5K,” he said, meaning five kilometers, or about three miles. “We do several loops. We might skip some of the piers, but they ultimately meet back at the start. I just stay here and watch everyone’s bags.”  

While he jokingly downplayed his responsibilities, the NY Roadrunners volunteers do more than making sure everyone’s property is in safe hands. They make sure the runners are checked in and hand them slips of paper that confirm their involvement. The first open run was held in 2015, and since then they’ve welcomed volunteers

As JP finishes checking in runners – who range from children to the elderly – he turns to an older gentleman named Larry Sillen who is away from the pack stretching. With friendly small talk, JP confirms Sillen’s involvement before wishing him luck.

 Sillen is a longtime runner and has been participating at open runs since the beginning. His ties with the organization go back even further. 

“I’ve been with the roadrunners since 1979, when they started putting on races, which are very popular,” he said. The New York City Marathon is “their baby,” Sillen continued. “This year and last year, they had 52,000 runners do the marathon, both male and female.” Sillen himself has run the New York City Marathon eight times. “I did it for health and losing weight,” he said. “lost about fifty pounds. It’s a love now, you get addicted to it.”

Sillen believes that the NYC Roadrunner’s goal is met, as the weekly runs do assist in keeping New York locals healthy. “Well people keep at it, you can go to different parks on different days.”

In Brooklyn Bridge Park on Sept. 2 about 25 runners showed up. According to JP,  “It varies, there’s always a core group of people who show up week in and week out, no matter the weather.”

The open run goes on smoothly as the first runner finishes the run 30 minutes after it has commenced, with others trailing behind. 

On Tuesday, October 14th at 7pm, NY Roadrunners will celebrate 10 years of their open runs, since the event’s inception in 2015. 

SUNY Downstate’s Community Healthy Lifestyle Fair brought giveaways, resources and even hopscotch to East Flatbush on Sept. 6 to promote community wellness in partnership with New York Senator Zellnor Myrie. 

Tables lined Lenox Road, each representing different health-focused organizations and initiatives. Some offered activities, such as weightlifting, to get people of all ages engaged. Others offered free backpacks and other school supplies. The fair also attracted people interested in pursuing careers in healthcare.

Many of the groups present were affiliated with SUNY Downstate, showcasing the university’s wide-reaching programs aimed at improving community wellness. One of these groups, the Free Clinic, is a student-led effort to provide free healthcare.  

“We’re really focused on not just the primary care aspect, but we also have a lot of ancillary services,” said Leah Strahs, a student in the College of Medicine at SUNY Downstate who volunteers at the clinic. “Things like getting people connected with SNAP and WIC, getting people Medicaid if they are eligible…so just a comprehensive primary care service.”

Downstate’s Occupational Therapy Program also tabled at the event, promoting proper backpack wearing techniques just in time for the new school year. The program’s table had a spin-the-wheel game with prizes including towels and headbands, and was set up next to the back-to-school backpack giveaway. 

“Both straps on both shoulders, not too low, not too high, sort of a middle ground but definitely above the rear,” said Lilly Bovio, a student in the Occupational Therapy Program in the School of Health Professions. “And then the last kind of big thing to point out is for it to not be too heavy, and to stand up nice and straight, not be too hunched up.”

Other fairgoers were interested in learning about careers in health. Volunteers answered questions about the pathway to becoming a doctor. 

Whether distributing health education materials, conducting screenings, or hosting activities, volunteers at each table played a role in strengthening the support and connection between SUNY Downstate and the surrounding community. 

“It’s really cool to talk to community members,” said Strahs, “and see all of the different stakeholders and departments at Downstate all kind of have the same idea of wanting to engage the community.”

On Saturday, August 30, the Lake Wallkill community in New Jersey held its ninth annual cancer walk and marked the occasion with the dedication of a new section of the boardwalk. 

The dedication honored the life and legacy of Laurie Fazal, a lifelong Lake Wallkill resident who passed away in 2022 after a short illness. A private community in the northernmost county in New Jersey, Lake Wallkill started as a summer residence and transitioned into a year-round home for some. Still, many members only return for the summer months, so the Labor Day weekend cancer walk acts as one of the last major activities until they reunite for Halloween. 

The boardwalk was renamed Warriors Landing, a name inspired by the lake’s swim team that Fazal was a part of. 

Over a hundred community members gathered alongside Fazal’s family in a short dedication ceremony. “My brother and I often say that the Lake Wallkill swim team is the heart of Lake Wallkill,” said Kerry Duffy, a longtime resident and friend of Fazal. “She was even coached by my brother back in the day.”

“As we always say, ‘Once a Warrior, always a Warrior,’” Duffy continued. “In loving memory of Laurie. Your memory is our strength, your eternal light is our guide.”

After the dedication, the ceremony moved into the annual cancer walk, a tradition that has steadily grown since it started almost a decade ago. Volunteers arranged tables with baked goods, raffle tickets, and event shirts that allowed everyone to participate, even if they couldn’t walk. Along the route, supporters lined the sides to cheer on the walkers as they made their way around the lake. 

“Whatever money we get we divide in three equal parts,” said Nancy Woeckener, the event organizer and President of the Ladies of the Lake, which supports activities happening at the lake. “The past two years we’ve raised $5000 each year, which is awesome, and I thank everyone that shows up because they make it possible.”

The money raised from the walk supports three different cancer-focused research organizations. METAvivor funds metastatic breast cancer research, and focuses on finding a cure for stage 4 of the disease. The Lustgarten Foundation supports pancreatic cancer research, a field that historically has eceived very little funding. Lastly, the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation focuses on research to find a cure for childhood cancer. 

For residents of Lake Wallkill, this walk is more than just a fundraiser. It’s a time to honor loved ones and show what a community can achieve together. 

“This is just a big round of applause to yourselves,” Woeckener told the crowd, “because we couldn’t do it without you.”

A historic drought has left many on the East Coast wondering what’s to come. The city saw a rash of brush fires in neighborhood parks in November, including a small wildfire in an area of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park on Nov. 8. 

The two-acre blaze drew about 100 firefighters as residents were warned to stay out of the park. Meanwhile, another fire on the border of New York and New Jersey, along the Jennings Creek, burned thousands of acres, sending smoke drifting across much of New York City and killing an 18-year-old New York state volunteer forest ranger who died while responding to the fire. The fire lasted two weeks before firefighters were able to bring it under control. 

The Northeast has been under severe drought conditions for weeks. Firefighters extinguished the Prospect Park fire just as rain moved into New York, helping to clear much of the smoke affecting a large area of Brooklyn. Millions of people in the Northeast remain under red-flag wildfire warnings, which signal conditions where anything that can generate a spark could likely lead to a fire. The dry weather has made the New York region and many wooded areas vulnerable to wildfires. Hundreds of fires have burned through dry leaves and underbrush in green spaces from Brooklyn to Upper Manhattan and around New Jersey, casting a smoky haze over the city’s skyline, blanketing the air with the scent of burning wood. 

“Weather patterns are becoming less predictable,” said Mallory Rutigliano, Vice Chair of the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter. The environmental organization promotes sustainable energy and mitigation of global warming. 

For much of the country, October was an extremely hot and dry month. In fact, 2024 is on pace to become the hottest year ever recorded – a declaration that forecasters from the World Meteorological Organization are making with confidence with the end of this year rapidly approaching. According to the US Drought Monitor, the long periods of hot and dry conditions have left every state in the country facing drought — an unprecedented statistic.

According to a report by New York Focus, an independent non-profit newsroom, the risk of fires in New York has grown over the years, while the number of park rangers and volunteer firefighters responsible for preventing these fires as well as extinguishing them remains the same. “We have six million acres of public land in New York state that 100 rangers are protecting,” Robert Praczkajlo, a Department of Environmental Conservation ranger and union leader, told New York Focus. 

New drone technology is being used to help treat these new cases of fires. Providing a bird’s eye view of fires and explosions, drones can help observe fire patterns and capture footage of areas that are difficult to reach from the ground. Early detection is possible using software that can capture and analyze signs of smoke and fire. While there are many positives to this new use of technology, there are also some notable limitations. Drones have a short flight time, and are vulnerable to harsh weather such as rain, wind, and extreme temperatures. 

Historically, wildfires have rarely been a concern for New Yorkers, burning around 1,400 acres in an average year. But an alarming increase in these kinds of fires has led to warnings about the growing risk of widespread wildfires in the near future and years to come.

While fires seem to be prominently affecting many regions amid the recent drought conditions, city and state reservoirs are also being affected, causing concern for the water supply. Mayor Eric Adams issued a drought watch last month, urging city residents to conserve water. More than 100 miles north of Manhattan, the Schorharie Reservoir was less than a third of its capacity, exposing muddy flats as water continues to recede. Similarly, the Ashokan Reservoir in the Catskill Mountains shared the same fate. Currently, the New York City system is at 63% capacity whereas it is normally around 79%. 

The Fire Department of New York Headquarters, the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) and Union for Concerned Scientists (UCS) did not respond to requests for comment. 

Midwife-led care improves maternal health outcomes. Yet midwives at Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital claim they are undervalued by their employers. Midwives at both Bronx hospitals have been working without a contract since June 30, 2023. At a December 3 press conference outside Jacobi, midwives demanded that their facilities address understaffing issues and increase pay for midwives.

“For more than a year now, our hardworking midwives have been in negotiation for an agreement to reconcile salary disparities and deal with serious understaffing issues,” New York State Assembly Member John Zaccero Jr. said at the press conference.  

The New York State Nurses Association NYSNA, which represents midwives at both hospitals, reported that midwives at Jacobi and North Central Bronx handle nearly all vaginal births and assist during cesarean sections at the facilities. 

“While I do what I can to treat our patients with respect, our employer does not,” Valerie Nelson, licensed midwife who’s worked for 12 years at Jacobi, told the rally. “Our employer believes that they can get by with the bare minimum, squeezing as much out of us as possible. Perhaps because we work for the marginalized population, no one will notice.”

According to The Chief, midwives at the two hospitals earn 14% less than other midwives in the region.  Midwives who spoke at the event maintained that the lack of a fair contract has contributed to increasing burnout and turnover among midwives, further exacerbating the staffing shortages.

Speakers at the rally highlighted the diversity of the midwifery staff at the two hospitals, which includes many women of color. “More than half of us are bilingual, and while less than 7% of midwives nationally are Black, at Jacobi 35% of our midwives are Black or Brown,” said Kinikia Reid, a midwife at Jacobi for the last five years. 

For Reid, being a midwife is deeply personal, she felt called to the profession to help those who look like her. 

 “I see my own sister and my childhood best friends in the faces of the women I care for,” Reid said. “I know that part of coming into this work as a melanated woman is meant to be about healing some of the generational trauma experienced by our communities in medical spaces and hoping to create a new narrative of empowerment, voice, and agency for the next generation of birthed people in the Bronx.”

Research has consistently demonstrated that midwife-led care reduces maternal mortality, which in New York City disproportionately affects Black birthing people. Black people are six times more likely to die of childbirth-related causes than White birthing people. 

According to the CommonWealth Fund, a private foundation promoting equitable healthcare, the use of midwives is associated with “fewer cesarean sections, lower preterm birth rates, lower episiotomy rates, higher breastfeeding rates, and a greater sense of respect and autonomy for the patient.”

“The numbers we see in the Bronx are horrific. The numbers of maternal mortality, infant mortality is a hundred percent preventable,” New York State Senator Natalia Fernandez said at the press conference. “Every successful birth in this hospital is thanks to a midwife.” 

In a historic turn for reproductive rights and maternal health, New Yorkers just passed Ballot Measure 1 – the Equal Rights Act of 2024. The Act is aimed at ensuring individuals are not discriminated against based on their identity. By passing this measure, New York has placed itself firmly as a state with constitutional protections for reproductive rights, abortion access, and broader sexual and reproductive health services.

The New York State Board of Elections summarized Prop 1 as,

“This proposal amends Article 1, Section 11 of the New York Constitution. Section 11 now protects against unequal treatment based on race, color, creed, and religion. The proposal will amend the act to also protect against unequal treatment based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, and pregnancy outcomes, as well as reproductive healthcare and autonomy. The amendment allows laws to prevent or undo past discrimination.”

Without these protections in the Equal Rights Act, there could be restrictive policies and barriers reintroduced or expanded by opponents. As Planned Parenthood CEO and President Alexis McGill said in a statement on The Nation on Nov. 6 regarding the passage of Prop 1,

“Without Prop 1 in the Constitution, New York could pass laws, policies, or regulations that ban or create barriers to abortion, birth control, IVF, or other forms of reproductive health care.” 

The measure was designed to offer a permanent shield against the potential of future conservative leadership that might seek to roll back these rights. Currently, abortion protections and anti-discriminations laws already exist under New York state law. However, according to The City and State NY, these protections could theoretically be at risk if a conservative government gains control. A GOP Governor could push to reverse the Reproductive Health Act, which was only passed in 2019. Once the Equal Rights Act is part of the State Constitution, it would be much harder to reverse.

While advocates are celebrating now, the measure’s road to passage was anything but certain. Many initially expressed concerns about the language of the Equal Rights Act, which avoided explicitly mentioning “abortion.” Dr. Deborah Kaplan, a maternal health advocate and board member of the Aria Foundation, had voiced apprehension that the ambiguity might turn voters away. 

“It’s so poorly written that I could see people going, ‘What the hell is this?’ I’m worried it’s not going to pass because of that,” Dr. Kaplan said before the election. 

The passage of Prop 1 in New York comes at a critical time, offering a layer of state-level protection against possible federal restrictions on reproductive health. Donald Trump, the president-elect, played a key role in overturning Roe v. Wade two years ago. 

“The trajectory has been, we win some, social justice issues win, then there’s a reaction from the powers that be who try to destroy it. And we’re now in that period,” Dr. Kaplan said.

McGill reported in The Nation that New York State’s commitment to reproductive rights was tested again in the 2022 election when Lee Zeldin, a strongly anti-abortion candidate came within six points of winning the governorship against Kathy Hochul. 

For many advocates, the Equal Rights Act represents not only a win for reproductive rights and gender based discrimination, but also a win toward addressing NYC’s maternal health crisis, particularly its severe racial disparities. 

The Black Mamas Matter Alliance has long advocated for addressing systemic inequities that disproportionately impact Black women and birthing people, framing maternal health as an urgent election issue this year.  

“Addressing systemic inequities that excessively impact black women and birthing people is an urgent imperative. The ongoing restrictions on abortion care access and the criminalization of pregnancy loss only deepens the maternal health care crisis,” Black Mamas Matter stated on their Instagram.

State and city lawmakers, health practitioners, and advocates gathered at the McSilver Institute at NYU for an urgent legislative breakfast on New York’s Black maternal health crisis on Oct. 24. 

The roundtable discussion, moderated by Eboni K. Williams – an attorney, author, and journalist – sought to address gaps in maternal health policy and identify preventable solutions with lawmakers and advocates. 

New York Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousin shared a personal experience that underscored the systemic issues contributing to Black maternal mortality rates.

Stewart-Cousins grandmother died giving birth to her mother. “My mom was born in 1917, and at that point it happened so often that people just tragically moved on without any discussion at all,” said Senator Stewart-Cousins. “It is amazing that we are in 2024 and still having conversations about women, certainly black women, who are at higher risk of maternal mortality than almost everyone else.” 

Stewart-Cousins acknowledged the gravity of today’s Black maternal mortality statistics and emphasized the representation among lawmakers was crucial to enacting bills surrounding Black maternal health. 

“The difference is all of us, the difference is the representation,” Senator Stewart-Cousins said.

Council Speaker Adrienne Adams echoed the urgency of the moment. “The death has to stop. There are solutions out there. We are going to bring those solutions to the forefront and conquer death.”

The panel addressed the impacts of systemic racism on Black maternal health. Sideya Sherman, NYC’s Chief Equity Officer, described these disparities as “the legacies of centuries of medical racism embedded in our nation’s history.” 

Practitioners also contributed to the conversation, bringing in data and patient centered perspectives. Dr. Cyrus McCalla, who spoke on the prevalence of maternal health disorders among Black women in NYC, revealed that more than 75% of these deaths are preventable, and “more than 50% of maternal deaths occur after seven days and that’s when most moms are out of the hospital,” Dr. McCalla said. 

Dr. Dilice Robertson expanded on Dr. McCalla’s points, advocating for different maternal care approaches. 

 “What that means is partnering with our midwives, and physician colleagues aside mental health clinicians, and ensuring that access to care happens sooner,” Dr. Dilice Robertson said.

In an earlier interview, Dr. Deborah Kaplan, a former assistant Commissioner for the NYC Department of Health, and now a board member of the Aria Foundation, advocated for birthing centers and midwife-led care as alternatives to hospital births. 

“We need midwives in charge of perinatal health with skilled doctors part of the team and midwives assessing when someone needs something beyond what they can provide,” Dr Kaplan said. 

Nathifa Forde, director of NYC Her Future, delivered one of the panel’s most resonant messages, spotlighting the fundamental connection between maternal health and broader community wellness. 

“We cannot talk about the lives of black boys, we cannot talk about the lives of black girls, until we talk about the wombs that are holding them,” Forde said.

On September 24, 2024, a large turnout of mental health advocates and community members sat through over six hours of testimony in the City Hall Council Chambers. They gathered for the New York City Council joint hearing with the committees on mental health, disabilities, and addiction as well as fire safety management, public safety, and hospitals to address the increase in demand for mental health crisis response teams in the city and a lack of expansion.

In June of 2021, New York City unveiled the Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division, or BHEARD, a pilot program created in response to community outcry for reform on the way 911 first responders have historically handled calls imental health crises. While demand for BHEARD has gone up, BHEARD hasn’t received any confirmed plans for expansion beyond its nine active teams, or budget increases in the three years since its inception. 

The packed hearing began with testimony from public mental health advocates Jordyn Rosenthal, Peggy Herrera, and Alex Brass. Rosenthal, a lead organizer at Correct Crisis Intervention Today, or CCIT, began her testimony by speaking on her personal mental health experiences. Rosenthal called for “peers, not police.” She described ‘peers’ as people with “lived mental health experience”, such as herself. Rosenthal also used her testimony to honor Kawaski Trawick, Win Rosario, and Herrera’s son, Justin Baerga, all of whom were shot and killed by NYPD first responders while experiencing a mental health crisis. 

During their testimony, Rosenthal, Herrera, and Brass all called for de-escalation tactics. Rosenthal and Herrera both called for a 24-hour mental health crisis team, as opposed to BHEARD’s current 16 hours of daily operation. Herrera, who is also a prominent police reform advocate, emphasized the need for mental health crisis calls, or 988 calls to be separated from 911 calls, saying, “All mental health calls should go to BHEARD. No crisis calls should go to 911, because police escalate situations.” 

Testimony from a panel of representatives from the city fire and police departments, the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health, and NYC Health and Hospitals was given, which presented a different protocol. Executive Director of The Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health revealed that all 988 calls are triaged, but any calls that pose “any threat of violence” will still be responded to by NYPD, even if the caller requests otherwise. 

In response to questions from Councilwoman Linda Lee about the mental health training first responders go through, NYPD commanding officer Ebony Washington stated that 911 operators go through 90 days of training in total, including, “a full day training by a certified instructor, giving them all types of scenarios that they may encounter.” 

Testimony also revealed that, at this time, there are no current plans to expand BHEARD beyond the nine teams present in 31 out of 77 precincts. New York Deputy Executive Director of Mental Health Laquisha Grant confirmed hopes to expand BHEARD. “The mayor and the city are still committed to a city-wide expansion of the BHEARD program,”  she stated. Police Chief Jonothan Escobar claimed that the pause in expansion is being used to address concerns, stating, “Recently, as the mayor announced, we have eliminated some of the precinct boundaries.” This would allow the nine active BHEARD teams to respond to calls outside of the precinct lines they currently operate in. 

During questioning, Lee pointed out that there has been an increase in the volume of calls to BHEARD since 2022, despite their reported decrease in funding, from $55 million in fiscal year 2022 to $35.1 million in fiscal year 2025. Grant responded to Lee’s concerns, claiming that the current BHEARD budget is efficient for the volume of calls received, attributing the initial budget of $55 million to startup costs. 

The hearing concluded with nearly two hours of open public testimony related to the current state of mental health crisis responses in New York City. While the stories shared during the testimony varied, they were all connected by a common thread; hope that BHEARD can be expanded and improved upon for the health and safety of New Yorkers.

On April 24, organizers of the “We Protect Us” movement gathered participants at the Mayday Center in Bushwick to prepare for an upcoming grassroots feminism event on May 4. Participants ranged from current CUNY members to public supporters. 

The event on May 4, happening at the CUNY Graduate Center, is a rally meant to bring attention to sexual abuse and the victims of the past and present. The “We Protect Us” movement was created by CUNY members and alumni looking to stand against sexual harassment.

“Often, when a victim speaks out against abuse, they are ignored while their abuser is protected from allegations and discipline. We stand up for those that universities won’t, so ‘We Protect Us’ is our way of taking a stand for those who have been silenced,” said Kelsey Chatlosh, a CUNY professor and co-organizer of the event.

During the event on April 24, participants were taught a chant inspired by the Chilean feminism group, LASTESIS, called “A Rapist in Your Path.” The chant is meant to be a rallying cry that calls out the oppressive systems and patriarchy responsible for allowing sexual abuse against women, non-binary, and trans people.

“This chant was a pillar of the ‘Me Too’ movement from 2019, and it’s become a global feminism war cry, it’s a powerful chant that makes it so that everyone that hears it is forced to think about these heavy topics and the reality that there are institutions that hurt us,” said Aqua Ruis, DJ and co-organizer of the event. 

According to RAINN, “most college-age victims do not report sexual violence on campus. This is especially the case for college-age women. Only about 20% of female college students report sexual assaults to authorities.”

This is the reality that many sexual assault victims face, even when they do report their abuse to authorities there are little to no repercussions for their abusers. In most cases, institutions such as colleges fail to report rape statistics.

According to RAINN, “By law, U.S. colleges and universities must file annual reports that include statistics for sexually based crimes — but not all do. The American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) 2016 analysis of the Clery Act found that 89% of 11,000 colleges failed to disclose rape statistics.”

Movements such as the “Me Too” movement and “We Protect Us” serve as efforts to make these attempts by institutions to cover up sexual assault cases, come to light. 

“No one was doing anything to help these people get the justice that they deserve, so we decided to be the platform that could help them,” said Chatlosh. 

CUNY members and alumni hope that these efforts are heard by those that have the power to make a change.

“I love what they [We Protect Us] stand for, it’s great to see a group that helps people like me and my CUNY community,” said Brianna Carrion, an alumna of John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Vegetarianism, juice bars, and vegetarian restaurants have spiked in popularity in recent decades. This positive trend was expedited during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was a wake-up call for many people to transition to a more health-conscious lifestyle.

In 2011, Dave Wallace, founder of Natural Blend Vegan Cafe Juice Bar and Restaurant decided to leave his laundromat business and join the vegan movement.

“I was baking, bringing stuff to my friends. And you know, I was making smoothies, home, bringing it to my friends and they were like, ‘Dave listen, man, you need to do a business with this. Cause people will always be requesting stuff,’ explained Wallace. “I was like, okay, I gotta go and make a carrot cake, you know. And then it started getting a little overwhelming.”

What ultimately pushed Wallace to open a smoothie shop was a distasteful smoothie he had while visiting a smoothie shop in Florida. This ultimately was the push Wallace needed to go back home to Brooklyn and start a juice bar and bakery called Natural Blend.

What distinguishes Natural Blend from their competition is their variety of Jamaican style cuisine. It’s a healthy alternative to Jamaican food without sacrificing the spices and the flavors the cuisine is known and loved for.

Between Saint Johns Place and Washington Avenue, at that time, his store was in demand, because there were only a few other juice bars in central Brooklyn – in Park Slope and Downtown Brooklyn.

Many  people in the neighborhood were happy to see a juice bar open up in the neighborhood.

“I’ve been coming here consistently for 10 years, and I am so grateful they’re here,” said Elizabeth Raymond, on her way into the Natural Blend for lunch.

At one point, she had to travel all the way downtown Brooklyn to get a smoothie.

The Rastafarianism culture derives from a community typically following a vegetarian diet.

This Jamaican religion has a large community around the Flatbush and Church Avenue location. Many of Natural Blend’s customers at this location are eager to enjoy the new location with a Jamaican-infused menu that supports their lifestyle and culture.

“Since I started working here this menu is constantly being updated from jerk plantain patties to Kale patties,” says Avante Davis, a cook working at the restaurant.

To stay in business, with a very competitive market Natural Blend is constantly reinventing itself, listening to its customers, and they’re not afraid to experiment with new products to meet that market demand.

On March 17, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appeared at Teachers College at Columbia University to talk about the impact of Covid the United States agriculture industry, and how the U.S. Department of Agriculture is working to provide Americans with the best nutrition.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants and schools, the USDA itself, and many places where food was prepared and served, were shut down. “It caused a major disruption in the food and agriculture industry and business. Millions of people are in this business and are dependent on this for their livelihood,” said Vilsack.

The New York State Restaurant Association reported that one in six restaurants statewide closed permanently due to COVID-19.

Vilsack remarked on the USDA’s extraordinary efforts to relieve many families from food insecurity during the pandemic. ” For the first time in 45 years, we provided an improvement and increase in the SNAP benefit above and beyond inflation,” he said, referring to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. “We extended waivers in schools so that they can do grab-and-go meals.”

Although these programs help many families in the United States, who ensures SNAP recipients make healthy choices when shopping for groceries? Vilsack doesn’t know the answer, and that’s why he believes nutritional security is just as important as food security. “A consistent access to food that’s obviously healthy as well and affordable,” said Vilsack.

He described nutrition security as a “big, tall task that we need to undertake.” Vilsack continued, “We have learned during this pandemic the linkage between nutrition security and health.”

Vilsack said two-thirds of the COVID-19 related hospitalizations have been related to obesity, diabetes, hypertension and heart failure. “These are all diet-related conditions,” said Vilsack.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity prevalence was 42.4% in 2017- 2018, and 11.3 percent of the US population has diabetes.

Vilsack believes that nutrition education should start at an early age because over time adjusting to a healthier diet can be difficult. “We started late with broccoli in my family. We’re still not there with my 48 year old, older son,” said Vilsack.

To promote this initiative, the USDA has launched several projects such as The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) plan, in which they plan to invest, according to Vilsack, tens of millions of dollars. The USDA has also put $100 million in the American rescue plan to support food banks around America.