Advocates, attorneys and formerly incarcerated New Yorkers pressed city officials over mental health care and conditions at Rikers Island during a September 23 City Council Committee on Criminal Justice hearing. Council members examined legislation addressing medical care, children visiting jails and protections for transgender people.

Darren Mack, co-director of Freedom Agenda and a former Rikers inmate, testified that more than 1,500 people at Rikers have been diagnosed with serious mental illness, a figure he said has increased 83% since 2022. “There’s no one solution to address this,” Mack said, calling on the city to divert more people from jail and invest in community-based treatment.

The committee considered Intro 809, sponsored by Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers, which would require the Department of Correction and Correctional Health Services to develop procedures for medical appointments during and after lock-ins. Missed appointments would be prioritized based on medical necessity.

Witnesses questioned current correctional department practices. Zachary Katzenelson of the Independent Rikers Commission criticized the department’s response to “deadlocking,” in other words a practice of isolating inmates. “There’s no new training. There’s no new inspections.” He said joint crisis-intervention training between correction and health staff had “completely fallen apart.”

Transgender housing and safety were also discussed. Testimony presented by Brooklyn Defender Services included an account from a formerly incarcerated transgender woman who described sexual assault and violence at Rikers. “We had no type of protection whatsoever,” she said. Advocates supported extending the task force addressing transgender and gender-nonconforming people through Intro 133 while calling for stronger protections.

Intro 453, meanwhile, would establish mental health services and referrals for jail visitors under 18. Some witnesses questioned DOC’s role. “Care should be provided by trained mental health professionals through trusted community-based organizations, not by the Department of Correction,” Miriam Goodman of the Women’s Prison Association testified.

As the sun set over the Gowanus Canal on September 24, shouts of “Hochul, eschucha estamos en la lucha,”(Hochul, listen, we are in this fight) rang from the gates of the Gowanus Generating Station. Community organizations and New York Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes had gathered to demand Governor Kathy Hochul stop the possible expansion of the station, as power companies rush to meet the growing energy demand brought on by Artificial Intelligence companies. 

The Generating Station, which converts primarily fracked natural gas into electricity, is currently set for closure in 2029. The operating company, Alpha Generation LLC (AlphaGen) recently introduced plans to keep the station open while replacing the current generating units with new ones. AlphaGen says the new units will be twice as efficient as the current ones, while easing the stress on a New York power grid that is already stretched very thin. Community organizers believe the expansion is primarily intended to meet the growing energy demands of new AI data centers.

“We do not need dirty energy to power AI data centers, we need Governor Hochel to keep data centers out of New York and we need her to shut down this costly, dangerous and unnecessary frack-gas power plant,” Eric Weltmen, a senior organizer for Food and Water Watch, said while speaking at the protest. 

Weltmen and other organizers have good reason to believe this expansion may feed energy hungry AI data centers. AlphaGen is owned by Arclight Capital, an energy investment firm. In May of this year Arclight was bought for $1.05 Billion by DigitalBridge Group. In a statement specifically about the acquisition of Arclight, DigitalBridge CEO Marc Ganzi stressed the importance of access to energy infrastructure. 

“AI is rewiring the global power equation, accelerating investment across generation, transmission and behind-the-meter infrastructure,” said Ganzi in a press release about the purchase of Arclight.

Continuing up the AI investment food chain, DigitalBridge Group itself was recently bought by Japanese investment bank, SoftBank Group Corp. The deal was initially agreed in December of 2025 for around $4 billion. The press release to announce the purchase of DigitalBridge directly cited the need for improved energy infrastructure to power AI ventures as a reason for the purchase. 

“The planned acquisition of DigitalBridge will strengthen SoftBank Group’s ability to build, scale, and finance the foundational infrastructure needed for next-generation AI services and applications,” the statement read. 

In late 2024, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son took the stage with then President-elect Donald Trump to pledge $100 billion of investment in American AI companies. 

As investors pour billions of dollars into the acquisition of infrastructure such as the Gowanus Generating Station, local organizers fear the safety of their communities is being put at risk to fill the coffers of investment banks. 

“Its really really not good that a big AI data center investor is financing this whole operation,” Santosh Nandabalan, Organizing Director for New York Communities for Change said plainly. 

The plans to expand operation of the plant require permits from the state of New York. This is where the protestors are hoping Governor Hochul steps in, citing the generating station and a reliance on fossil fuels as threats to the environment and public health as reasons to shut down possible expansion. 

Though the new units are supposedly 50% more efficient than the current ones, the fear is prolonged and increased reliance on the burning of fossil fuels for the New York Energy grid. In 2019, the state of New York passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which required 70% of the state’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030. Reversing the 2029 closuring a fossil fuel powered generating station, would be in direct conflict with that act.

“We are here today. We will come back tomorrow. We will come back as many times as we have to, to ensure that the governor gets the message that we need to close the plant,” said New York assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes.  

In 2020, a similar plan to modernize the generating station was walked back after heavy pushback from the community. That plan however, was not backed by multi-billion dollar investment banks. Local organizers are expecting a long fight but are still confident they will come out on top. 

Protesters rallied on Tuesday outside Amazon’s midtown offices against the company’s plan to expand fossil-fueled AI data centers nationwide. Third Act, a nonprofit group that mobilizes Americans over 60 to protect democracy and fight climate change, organized the event. Third Act and its partner groups are concerned about expanding data centers that could affect everyone’s lives. As AI grows, serious concerns remain about its environmental consequences. 

Amazon plans to expand and build more AI data centers to meet demand. The company already has centers in Virginia, Ohio, and Oregon, with more expanding in Texas, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and more. These data centers require massive amounts of electricity to run; therefore, they will use a lot of natural gas.

Data Centers accounted for 415 terawatt-hours of electricity use in 2024 and can potentially double to 950 terawatt-hours by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency. More electricity requires more natural gas, which increases fossil fuel emissions and other resource use.

“Selling their services to find oil faster, recover more oil, and reduce the cost per barrel…This is sabotaging the economics of a just energy transition… Without these tools, renewables would be winning, and fossil fuels would be struggling to survive; right now, they’re thriving,” said Holly Alpine, a former tech worker from Microsoft. 

Given Amazon’s influence and power over public policy, its decision to expand its AI data centers may inspire other corporations. Beyond that, this expansion can also affect local communities near these data centers by changing how safe their environment is. 

Alan Palm, the executive director at the Better Future Project, an organization that drives climate change action and goes against the fossil fuel industry, believes “they have gas-powered turbines that put toxic pollution into the air and cause respiratory illnesses for people, and they’re also noisy and cause other things that really degrade people’s quality of life – in addition to their impacts on water availability and electricity prices.”

The expansion of these data centers hasn’t been well received by climate change activists and the general public because of their potential harm. However, these centers could pose fewer risks under certain circumstances. “If you want to build data centers, they should be built in places where the community benefits. They should be powered with renewable energy, so that they don’t contribute to air pollution,” said Palm.

As Amazon moves forward with its AI ambitions, environmental advocates continue to question what those plans could mean for communities and the climate.

City Parks Foundation’s cleanup event at Bensonhurst Park on Wednesday brought out local volunteers, but one says the refurbished park still “could use all the help it can get,”  

The September 23 cleanup attracted a small group of neighborhood residents. Senior Community Engagement Coordinator Karley Chamblee did not attend due to other foundation events held that day in Brooklyn.

City Parks Foundation, otherwise known as CPF, is a program built upon improving NYC Parks. It hosts sporting events, art shows, and educational programs. The foundation’s goal is to create an accessible and safe park for each community. The programs CPF provides are located in more than 330 parks, recreation centers, and public schools across New York City. 

Bensonhurst Park is a 17.5 acre park on Cropsey Avenue between Bay Parkway and 21st Avenue. The park contains baseball fields, basketball and handball courts, fitness equipment, playground and sprinkler system. It’s close to P.S. 101, Joseph B Cavallaro Middle School, Saint Peter Catholic Academy and other schools.  

The park has undergone drastic transformation over the past five years. Then-Councilmember Justin Brannan announced a massive renovation project in 2019. According to the Brooklyn Paper, then-Mayor Bill DeBlasio, Councilmembers Brannan and Mark Treger raised $7.86 million in funding for the renovations. 

The park’s initial repairs included  replacing outdated and worn out benches, repaving walk-through areas, sprinkler system equipment and improving playground equipment. It was completed in January of 2021. 

Long time Bensonhurst resident John Silas has been volunteering at the park since before there were any organizations to do so. He found “It’s My Park” through an Instagram post of a volunteer. Silas cleans up garbage and gardens whenever needed. 

“I’ve been living in this neighborhood for 43 years and have been going to this park forever,” Silas said. “It’s the least I could do.”

Silas said there the park had a distinctive character but knew it was inevitable given the park’s poor condition. “I used to really like the way the park used to look, but now it kind of looks like any other park,” Silas said. “But change is good. The park is better for it.”

There are problems still within the park. Caesar, who chose not to give his last name, is another volunteer and parkgoer. He said the bathroom has been a real issue. He claimed that the bathroom re-opened with the renovations and it satisfied the park’s needs. It closed due to plumbing and cleanliness issues. It remained closed for months and recently re-opened.

“If a park is open and the bathroom doesn’t work, how does that make sense?” Ceasar said

Ceasar also mentioned that security has increased but does not prevent people from drinking and doing drugs in the park. “This place is a playground and there are still people who think of it as a partyhouse,” Caesar said. “It’s just not safe for people and families.”

Climate Week is in full swing in New York City (NYC), and Sustaining All Life (SAL), a partner grassroots organization of Re-evaluation Counseling (RC), is taking a different approach to helping to solve the climate crisis. The two groups led a workshop on Sept. 22 at Berkeley College in midtown to offer tools and resources to activists to avoid burnout and make connections between the challenges of fighting racism and combating climate change.

“I think we all see [racism and the climate emergency] sort of passively, but sometimes you need to shine a light on it,” said Dyresha Harris, a volunteer delegate who helped lead the workshop. “One thing I haven’t really seen outside of [SAL] is a tool and a space to unlearn the things that we’ve learned that get in the way of our activism, and get in the way of us working well together.” 

SAL focuses on providing emotional regulation and conflict tools to interested individuals and groups alike to unite them in their fight against the climate crisis, and support activists, new and seasoned alike. They utilize these connections to create an activism “network” and allow each activist to help in their own way.

“We want people to think for themselves what they think makes the most sense, and go out in the world and do it, and use us as your support base,” said Diane Shisk, a founding member of SAL.

SAL and UER provide these tools to ensure all solutions made by the movement are strong and inclusive of those it affects. Harris warns that any weakness threatens a proposed solution, either “festering” on its own or “can be leveraged or manipulated by people” opposed to the solutions. 

During the meeting, the organizations led multiple “listening exchanges,” a tool used since RC’s founding in the 1950s, to combat emotional burnout and conflicts. Listening exchanges involve giving each participant equal, uninterrupted time to express their feelings about any given topic without criticism, comment, or judgment from the others. 

While conversation about internalized racism is commonplace, the lack of conversation as to how to approach and solve the problem is a point of concern for Harris. 

The workshops and tools, given by SAL and UER, provide the solution lacking from these conversations, “other than just noticing [internalized racism] and feeling bad about it,” according to Harris.  

The workshop focused on building interpersonal skills and teaching methods to boost unification with those one might not necessarily agree with. Apathy is a “dangerous” part of the climate change conversation, according to Harris.  

“Because we are actually connected, we‘re on one planet, so the more we stop caring about any group of people, and what happens to them, the more it spreads,” said Harris. 

Racism and division stick with people long after the event happens, with the message internalizing in the person, according to Hoa-Li Tai, a volunteer delegate for SAL and UER. 

Closing the gaps between people is critical to advance their activism, according to Tai.

“The ability to heal out hurts is what’s gonna allow us to build that mass movement of diverse peoples we need to build [despite] all the divisions there are currently in the country,” said Tai. 

While SAL, RC, and UER do not have a solely political agenda as a support network, Tai believes the next step is uniting the people to pressure global political leadership to take action on solutions already envisioned by scientists and environmentalists. 

“This might be the biggest human project ever.  […] We know how to [solve the climate crisis],” said Tai. “So, what’s really missing is the political will.”

   The support given by SAL, RC, and UER is at a critical time, according to SAL member Shisk. 

   “We encourage people to be both involved in this movement of emotional support, which we think is important, and some movement in the world,” said Shisk. “Because we think if we don’t change the world, we’re not gonna have it forever.”

Long repair delays, poor communication, confusing directives: New York City Housing Authority residents aired their grievances and demanded more accountability from the public housing agency at a September 22 City Council hearing. Council members urged NYCHA executives to answer for what is going to be done to aid residents for lack of a proper system around work orders. “We are not and should not be the ones and neither should that be falling on residents’ backs to be constantly calling and following up and figuring out where their work orders are,” Councilmember Elsie Encarnacian told Daniel Green., executive vice president of property management operations at NYCHA, “I think that there has to be a more fluid method for you guys [NYSCHA] to be actively going out and following up on these work orders and not the other way around.” 

NYCHA was created in 1934 in order to provide affordable apartments and nowadays, according to the NYCHA website, provides roughly 1 in 16 New Yorkers with housing. In order to combat the billions of dollars in severe building repair backlogs costs they implemented the PACT program in 2016. The goal of PACT was to bring in private and nonprofit companies to manage the properties and fund renovations in order to keep the housing affordable. Council Member and Chair of the Committee on Public Housing Chris Banks led the oversight hearing focused on the continued backlog of work orders. 

Daniel Green, executive vice president of property management operations at NYCHA, explained that residents can submit repair requests through the Customer Contact Center, the NYCHA app, or the NYCHA website. Once a request is submitted a maintenance worker is sent to assess the repairs needed and if it is more than a basic repair, like plumbing or plastering, they will create tickets for NYCHA Staff and vendors to complete the repair. Residents can then call their neighborhood planner to schedule skill trade appointments.  

“Of all trades, NYCHA maintenance workers have the heaviest daily workload, receiving approximately 98,000 work orders per month,” Green said. “Despite the immense workload NYCHA is completing basic maintenance repairs in occupied apartments in less than four days on average with its onsite maintenance teams.” 

Green pointed out how NYCHA is making real progress in improving conditions in their apartments and buildings. Their average score on the federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) physical inspection system was 79 as of September 16, 2026, compared to 32.5 in 2023. He also said 89 percent of NYCHA developments passed those same HUD inspections, compared with 15 percent in 2023.

These scores were later questioned by Council Member Elsie Encarnacion, representative of district 8, who said “I’ll be honest. I don’t know how you’re hitting those numbers.” Her assessment was based on what she had learned while visiting apartments and speaking with NYCHA residents in her district. She says that much of her and fellow council staff ‘s portion of constituent service is spent helping residents get existing work orders addressed. “If I look at my staff’s notebooks, it’s all work order numbers,” said Encarnacion. Green says that is the reason the NYCHA has created programs like Maintenance Cares and the Critical Repairs Initiative as a way to handle urgent and long standing repair issues. 

But for residents living in NYCHA the work order backlog represents more than a statistic. For Patricia Dickey, it meant being unable to use her kitchen and relying on a temporary slop sink given to her by NYCHA. NYCHA staff told that the work on her kitchen would finished by March 2027. “It’s extremely hard. First off, I have dialysis, so I need the function of my kitchen to work because I have to eat in a certain way,” Dickey said. “And then I have grandchildren that’s here and it’s like I’m using half of my kitchen and then I can’t lift stuff and everything is all scattered.” Many residents are forced to go through this process of waiting and hoping that NYCHA will help. 

Other tenants say they cannot get a straight answer on what construction is being done in their developments. Carla Hollingsworth, the Secretary of the Stuyvesant Gardens One Tenants Association, said,“We have been told that ETC [a construction company contracted by NYCHA] manages approximately 22 contracting companies working simultaneously at the development. We’ve repeatedly asked, who are these companies? What work is each company performing? Who’s responsible for supervising and inspecting their work? Who is accountable when that work fails? We have gotten no answers to date.”

Reacting to the rapid expansion of data centers, speakers during Climate Week called for public disclosure of all AI project information and their environmental effects. They encouraged people to start holding state officials accountable for withholding information from the public. 

On Sept. 21, Pratt Institute hosted a public workshop “Big Problems vs Bigger Solutions: Data Centers & The Clean Energy Transition,” where presenters discussed the energy and water demands of AI data centers. 

“We’re here today to talk about energy, which as an issue is really scary,” said Summer Sandoval, one of the speakers that opened the workshop.

Luis Gonzalez, a resource mobilizer with 10 years of experience, stressed the importance of people being informed about AI data projects. According to him, the public isn’t given enough information about the distribution of energy and resources for AI, as well as the finances that go into it. “They’re forcing people to dehouse, while private forces are buying lands all over the world to build AI data centers,” said Gonzalez. 

As an example of financial challenge, Gonzalez discussed 18 data center projects started in Massachusetts, where the state paused new applications for a data center tax exemption while concerns rise about electricity costs and environmental effects, “Who’s paying for this? How is this going to affect our economy?”

Gonzalez also talked about another major issue – pollution. He discussed Boxtown, a historically Black town near xAI’s South Memphis data center, where residents have been concerned about pollution from methane turbines used to power the facility.“AI will not solve climate crisis. If anything, it will contribute to climate crisis,” he said.

Other speakers explored possible solutions for the growing issues. Sarah Z. Salem, director of environmental justice and community investment at Flatiron Energy, discussed battery storage and its usage. As a solution, she suggested that large batteries can store electricity when demand is lower and deliver it when demand rises.  

The last presenter, Zoe Voss Lee, founding principal of the urban planning practice Grounded, took another approach: a more distributed power grid of solar panels and batteries, that would reduce power demand through devices in homes and buildings.

As the presentations concluded, some questions remain unanswered – who distributes the power and who bears the consequences of unequal distribution?

During this year’s climate week in New York City, Environmental Advocates NY collaborated with the NY Black, Hispanic, Puerto Rican and Asian Legislative Caucus (NYSABPRHAL) to highlight the effects of climate change on marginalized communities in New York.

 The panel was convened by Environmental Advocates NY, which lobbies for environmental justice in underrepresented communities.

  Danny DaBare, the operational organizer of the event said, “Often local communities that are not immersed in the up to date climate news are left out of the conversation. This panel is really a moment to bring in voices that are often left out of the Climate week, that are black and brown, and don’t think of climate as a first priority.” 

   DaBare explained how the community can advocate for themselves and also connect with their elected officials. “Oftentimes, there’s a big disconnect between Albany and New York City, and by building that bridge through events like these, we were able to really draw the dots between the two geographies.”

   The panel included members of the New York Assembly – five women representing the Bronx, Queens, and a section in Manhattan; and the Hudson Valley. All of the panelists were part of the NYSABPRHAL caucus, and emphasized their concerns around environmental injustices they have seen in their communities. 

  NYSABPRHAL is a nonprofit organization that represents the legislators within these marginalized communities. With a body of 80 members, they are a part of the NY legislative branch and connect with each other to strengthen their advocacy.

  Moderating the panel was the Vice President of Environmental Advocates, Vanessa Turner and NY Representative Michaelle Sogales. Representative Sogales spoke about the intersectionality within these issues. “Right now we’re in the middle of a climate crisis, but an affordability crisis and they are intertwined and we need to look at it that way,” she said.

   The first issue they took up was the increase in flooding in the city. 

    Assemblywoman Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas represents neighborhoods in Queens includin: Astoria, Corona, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Woodside. Gonzalez-Rojas stated specifically in Queens how her residents have been affected since Hurricane Ida in 2021. “In 2021 we experienced rapid flooding. It was about 3 to 5 inches of flash flooding our communities experienced. There were about 11 people that died in Queens from Hurricane Ida,” she told the panel.

 The panelists also touched on a rise in respiratory issues such as asthma. With many residents living near highways and busy roadways, the air quality is depleted. In efforts to combat this, Assemblywoman Torres introduced a bill she hopes passes to prevent these issues. “I introduced a bill last year related to highway expansion called Highway Community Harm Act, where you cannot expand a highway that is one touching a zip code that has a very high rate of asthma or is near a public housing facility,” she said.

   Infrastructure was another topic of discussion, with many assemblywomen mentioning that a lot of the solutions can be fixed with new infrastructure. “It is the infrastructure investments that we need to have and the climate policies that we need to advance to really have a solution to the issues that communities like mine face,” stated González-Rojas.

   Representing the Bronx, Assemblywomen Amanda Septimo and Emérita Torres talked about the intersectionality they have seen within their districts. Though they represent different parts of the Bronx, one neighbor they dually represent is Hunts Point. “In the Bronx, climate change is not an existential question. You don’t have to really reach far to make the connection because it is always present,” stated Assemblywoman Septimo.

“Now what you see happening with climate change is exacerbating these issues […] we see an increasing frequency of days over 100 degrees.

   A common factor mentioned was the SLCP rollback which caused a lot of things to be reversed. However, the assembly people don’t want this to cause communities to lose hope.

       Asm. Sogales spoke on the importance of community movements and how their voices play a role in this. “This work is not just done with the government. It’s done with community advocacy and alliances that are created that identify issues and work towards a common goal.”

About a hundred people gathered outside OpenAI’s corporate headquarters in Manhattan on Monday to call attention to the threats AI poses and to demand that government pass data center moratoriums and regulations. 

“OpenAI will have us believe its presence in our lives is an inevitability,” Justin Maxwell of Cincinnati-based Communities United for Action, told the crowd. “AI is not the solution, we are.”

The protest, part of Climate Week, was spurred on by reports of threats to the environment by AI, its integration into the US military industrial complex, and concerns surrounding the economic impact of investment in what may turn out to be an AI bubble.

In a rare instance of solidarity across the political spectrum, about 60 percent of Republicans, Democrats and Independents are united in their opposition to data centers, according to recent polling from PBS News, NPR, and Marist. “We didn’t ask for this,” said Maxwell. “We want clean air to breathe.”

According to Cleanview, which tracks US power infrastructure, there are 3,525 data centers in the US, with a global tally of 12,259. The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, a non-profit focused on sustainable land use, has called AI data centers “resource ravenous”; In 2023, data centers in the US consumed 176 terawatt hours of electricity, roughly the same as the entire nation of Ireland. 

OpenAI, which owns ChatGPT, has partnered with the Los Alamos National Laboratory to install its GPT models on the US government’s Venado supercomputer, which is used for nuclear stockpile management. Founded in 2015 by Elon Musk and Sam Altman, OpenAI is a nearly trillion dollar company with projects spanning from generative AI to weapons manufacturing and national defense. 

In February of this year, OpenAI reached an agreement with the Department of Defense after its competitor Anthropic refused to, citing concerns of mass surveillance. Openai quickly deployed its models across the government’s classified network.

The website for Monday’s protest called attention to the fact that OpenAI President Greg Brockman donated 25 million dollars to MAGA, Inc. In February, Brockman told Wired magazine the donations were intended to gain favorable government support for his company.

In July, CNBC reported that OpenAI proposed handing a 5% stake in the company to the federal government. This would amount to around $42.6 billion of the company’s valuation of $852 billion.

The possibility of federal ownership of part of OpenAI is ringing alarm bells for some. 

“There’s a massive bubble being built,” said Jonathan Westin, executive director of Climate Defenders. Westin sees striking similarities between this moment of AI investment and the prelude to the 2008 financial crisis. “Even the ai companies are admitting they’re not as healthy and profitable as they said they were.” Westin, who was a prominent voice during the Occupy Wall Street protests, explained that like the banks in 2008, AI giants, after taking heavy losses, will require bailouts from the federal government, with taxpayers footing the bill. “We just want the billionaires to pay for it themselves.”

In a viral resignation post on X, former Anthropic employee Jacob Kaczynski warned of “civilizational risks” of unchecked AI development, saying that neither Anthropic nor OpenAI were being transparent with the public, writing that a possible superintelligence “could kill us all by the end of the decade.”

Westin pointed out that the real threat lies in the powering of increasing data centers with non-renewable resources. “It’s not like they’re going to hack into something and send missiles,” he said. “The thing that will really destroy all of us is climate change.”

It’s not only threats to the environment or economy that have some suspicious of AI, however. Many are concerned with AI’s effect on mental health.

“Everyone I know who’s using AI, they get f#@king dumber,” said Jodie Evans, co-founder of Codepink, a peace advocacy organization. “I’ve never seen so many people get dumb so fast in my life.”

A study published by the National Library of Medicine  found that extended use and exposure to AI chatbots “might trigger, amplify, or reshape psychotic experiences in vulnerable individuals.” In a landmark court case, the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine sued OpenAI over the teen’s suicide, saying Adam’s use of ChatGPT encouraged the teen to take his life. OpenAI then moved to counter-sue the family over claims that Adam “violated” user agreements.

Evans, 72, is incredulous about the efficacy of protests like the one on Monday. She pointed to the 1.5 trillion military spending bill making its way through congress, which would use taxpayer money for AI defense contracts. Evans said resistance to the bill is missing from the conversation. “It’s about the do, not the chant,” she said.  

Three NYC Council committees called on the New York State Legislature, as well as the governor, to establish more accessible gender-affirming care for LGBTQI+ people in the state. On September 23, the New York City Council Committee on Hospitals held a joint meeting with the NYCC Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use, as well as the NYCC Committee on Women and Gender Equity, to discuss access to gender-affirming care and the associated mental health outcomes for transgender and nonbinary youth. 

“It’s no secret that transgender and nonbinary New Yorkers have recently faced a barrage of threats, challenges, and intimidation from the federal government,” said Tiffany Cabán, Chairperson of the Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use. Gender-affirming care “is strongly associated with improved mental health outcomes for transgender and nonbinary people,” she said.

Cabán has introduced and passed legislation to support survivors of gender-based violence, protect abortion care in NYC, and move homeless New Yorkers more efficiently to permanent homes.“Transgender and nonbinary youth especially are disproportionately burdened by poor mental health outcomes driven by reduced social support,” said Cabán. “Research consistently shows that access to gender-affirming interventions is associated with roughly 60% lower odds of moderate to severe depression, and over 70% lower odds of suicidality in youth.”

In the wildly divisive US political landscape, gender and LGBTQ+ issues are hotly debated by both parties. Political figures are making highly publicized remarks on trans issues, like Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville stating that “This gender confused mental illness is on the rise in our society today,” while standing next to a sign reading “Transgenderism is a mental disease”. According to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, ‘Transgenderism’ is a term used since the 1990s to classify transgender identity as a political ideology.

“Supporting transgender and non-binary youth means defending their right to healthcare,” said Amanda Farías, Chair of  the Committee of Women and Gender Equity. “An analysis by the Human Rights Campaign found that 27 states, plus Puerto Rico, have successfully passed bans on gender-affirming care for transgender and nonbinary youth, affecting 48% of transgender youth nationwide.” The proposed bill sought to require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to create resources related to the unique health care needs of LGBTQI+ individuals. 

Andy Bowen, the founder and Executive Director of Queer Budget Center, spoke on behalf of their organization in support of Cabán’s resolution. “The governor must follow the example of the city council and the mayor in making historic investments in gender-affirming care. The community is suffering and waiting,” they said. “I cannot echo hard enough, also, the need to expand gender-affirming care for all ages, and that care needs to be widely geographically accessible.”

Filament Kind , a spokesperson for the New York Transgender Advocacy Group, shared their experience with gender-affirming care, as well as their declining mental health. For years, Kind felt trapped in their own mind and their own skin. “Six years ago, I was hospitalized after coming very close to ending my own life and engaging in self-injurious behaviors,” shared Kind. What they really needed was a medical transition. 

“Gender-affirming care is suicide prevention,” said Kind. “This information is primarily spread by word-of-mouth, creating gaps in access to this crucial healthcare for those who don’t have such community or connections yet. [The proposed bill] could create, for many people, access to healthcare that could save lives.”

Churches United For Fair Housing (CUFFH) and Hands Off NYC threw a party Sunday for the Bushwick Latinx community to celebrate immigrant families and generate awareness for constitutional rights. Although the event is usually an outdoor block party, CUFFH moved it indoors to Xanadu Roller Arts due to rainy weather.

The venue was decked up in neon lights, metallic streamers and handmade ‘ICE OUT’ signs. Community members were in their Sunday best, with little girls running around in frilly skirts and adults in traditional South American attire. The organizers provided guests with free lunch, and access to roller skates for a spin on the course. The event welcomed people of all ages, seniors mingling with young adults and families creating memories together.

Gabriel Fantacone, CUFFH’s Deputy Director of Civic Engagement, spoke about how the organization usually throws an annual appreciation party for it’s members, and why it was important to have more this year. “We partnered with Hands Off, who we’ve worked with in the past— and we’re trying to spread more awareness about immigrant rights, have our community members engage with business owners who have been involved with housing advocacy and just overall letting people know they have access to resources.” Fantacone also shared that they had 324 volunteers signed up to work the event, and that both organizations were extremely pleased with the turn out. CUFFH is a grassroots advocacy organization founded in 2009 that provides affordable housing services and integrated social resources.

Hands Off NYC is a coalition that trains organizations, unions, faith leaders, and everyday people to protect their communities from ICE and stop the Trump administration’s consolidation of power. Jim from Hands Off, who preferred not to give his last name, said that gatherings like the ‘Know Your Rights’ party are a major hub for educating people about just how much power they truly hold. “We’ve trained about 2500 businesses in New York City, and each of them have been surprised at the fact that they can actually say ‘no.’” Hands Off trains volunteers free of cost and provides them with supplies such as ‘NO ICE’ cards to distribute to local businesses. The more volunteers there are, Jim said, the more people truly “know their rights.”

Overall, the event was extremely lively, and really felt like a celebration of the community. There were birthday parties going on simultaneously, which only added to the fun. Some independent charities were also invited to set up booths, including a fund selling jewellery to raise money for families affected by the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Most guests belonged to South American and Latinx communities, and CUFFH founder Rob Solano addressed them in Spanish. Fantacone summarised his remarks in English, after which Solano’s five-year-old daughter closed the event with a wave to the crowd.

Council members, parents and advocates came together outside City Hall on September 15 to urge the Mamdani administration to adopt more stringent guardrails on computer technology for public school students, starting with children in classes K- 5 grade ahead of the 2026-27 school year. 

The call to action comes following a drop in test scores.

The rally comes two weeks after Mayor Mamdani and schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels put in a one year moratorium to ban the use of generative AI for children in grades 2K-8. The Department of Education will revisit the policy throughout the school year. 

 Councilmembers Shekar Krishnan, Eric Dinowitz, and  Julie Menin led the rally, calling for bans on YouTube and  gamified learning, and a return to pen and paper testing. “Everything we give our children is evidence based,” said councilmember Dinowitz while calling for the Department of Education (DOE) to show the evidence of education technology or “ed-tech,” and how this is either helping or hurting the students.

Julie Menin took the podium to explain the consequences of too much screen time, sharing that proficiency scores for students in 3 through 8 grade have dropped since 2024. 

Parents were concerned about tech companies’ access to  and information about children through these big ed-tech platforms. “ i-Ready currently has two major lawsuits against them for violation of privacy laws, ” said Kaliris Salas, a mother to two boys and the president of the Community Education Council in District 4 or East Harlem.  Salas states many parents, teachers and students have come into these meetings stating how the children feel as though they are spending more time with the screen than their teachers.

Right now the moratorium includes screen time caps on certain grades. Students in grade Pre-k through second grade will lose their screen time altogether. Students in grades three through five will have 30 minutes of screen and students in grades six to eighth will have 45 minutes. Those in high school can still use AI technology platforms geared towards career placement and development. Although the policy is only for one year, if successful could be implemented into all classrooms. 

“We don’t hate ed-tech,” said Dinowitz. “We just want to see the evidence behind these platforms.”

The 14th annual National Voter Registration Day took place with a block party next to Washington Square Park as the November 3rd General Election approaches. As polls open, races are off to a fast start; in particular, the governor’s race between Kathy Hochul and Bruce Blakeman looks like a potentially competitive contest.

The event was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.; organizations such as Headcount and NYC Votes set up registration tables to encourage eligible voters to register. To spread awareness of other causes, organizations like Oxfam, which fights inequality to end poverty and injustice, and the Civic Engagement Commission, which aims to strengthen civic participation and support less fortunate communities, were also present. 

To draw people in, the event included vendors like Pots on Wheels and Nixie Zero Sugar Beverages, plus registration tables with prizes, including a chance to win a trip to Madison Square Garden to see Harry Styles in October. 

NYC Votes reported that 94.3% of eligible NYC voters were registered in 2025, with 260,195 first-time voters. That’s a 145.4% increase from 2017 and more than double the amount from 2021.

Because the event is held near Washington Square Park, next to universities like NYU and other colleges like City Tech, it is easier to reach youth and keep increasing their participation in elections. 

“It’s part of your right as a citizen of the United States to have your voice heard, to contribute to the civic stature of our country, to make sure that your city and state are represented well, and that funding goes to your cities and your education,” said Julia Bartholomew-King, a project manager working with Headcount at the event.

Some people still believe voting doesn’t matter because they feel their voices won’t make a difference. Lemuel Frett, a senior at City College, is a bit skeptical about registering, as he feels it’s not gonna move the needle. “I’m just reluctant to vote because I feel as though I’m just one person, so it’s not like if I don’t vote that it causes much of a disruption to the races.” 

On the other hand, “It’s really hard to question what’s going on in our country if you haven’t had your voice heard…Especially now, we really need to pay attention and participate in our government,” said Julia. 

With November 3rd’s General Election approaching and election season heating up, organizers continue using different outreach methods to help citizens register by the October 24th deadline. 

New York Police Department Inspector William Haut told the City Council that 2026 was the city’s “safest summer in NYC’s recorded history,” with shooting incidents down 9.6% and shooting deaths 11.9% lower than in 2025. In testimony before the council’s Committee on Public Safety on Wednesday, Haut credited the NYPD precision policing model, which targets geographically specific crime hot spots throughout New York City and connects citizens with the police through an initiative known as neighborhood coordination.

NYPD Inspector William Haut of the Crime Control Strategies Unit and Deputy Commissioner of Legal Matters Michael Gerber testified. Committee chair Oswald Feliz ran the event and was accompanied by the rest of the committee members. 

“This is the safest summer for gun violence in NYC’s record history,” Haut told the committee, speaking of data covering June 1 through August 31.

Major crime across the city has decreased 6.2% compared to last year, according to NYPD. This includes a 12.8% decrease in robbery, 13.9% decrease in burglary and 5% decrease in grand larceny. However, there were two categories of crime that have increased: felony assault and rape. 

Felony assaults increased by more than 50% over 2025, and approximately 40% of those assaults were acts of domestic violence. NYPD arrested 263 individuals three or more times for relony assaults, an increase of 205%. NYPD says it approaches domestic violence cases through specific training, prioritizing investigations and working closely with advocacy groups on behalf of survivors. 

Reports of rape have increased 3.2 percent in 2026. There’s a long history of rape being underreported, and Haut said “the department’s working hard to get survivors to speak with us and provide them with support when they do so.” He added, “We must close the gap between sexual violence as occurring, sexual violence as reported. We are working towards that goal every day.”

Councilmember Joann Ariola brought up reports of officers persuading people to not file complaints, referencing incidents that happened in Washington Square and Times Square over the summer. 

“That is totally unacceptable,” Gerber said, adding that NYPD’s Internal Affairs unit is investigating. He described an internal auditing process that cross-checks 911 calls against reports actually filed. “Most officers do this the right way” and only “a small number don’t,” Gerber said. 

Ariola also questioned whether or not the NYPD keeps records of crimes being reported by the public compared with the amount of reports that are actually being taken by the officers. Gerber replied that the department has an auditing process that reviews whether the call was taken and taken properly. 

Ariola also questioned Mayor Mamdani decision to scrap a proposed plan to hire over 500 additional police officers with the intention of assigning many to high-crime areas. Ariola asked how it would have affected those areas, using the Bronx as an example. Feliz said that the Bronx alone accounts for roughly 40% of the city’s murders and shootings in 2026. 

Gerber did not answer directly but credited the current police force for this summer’s progress.

LGBTQ+ business owners shared their experiences at the National LBGTQ+ & Allied Chamber of  Commerce New York’s 2026 Summit on Economic Impact at the Manhattan CUNY Graduate  Center last Wednesday. Queer entrepreneurs from all walks of life discussed how they came about  starting a business, the impact of representation and local community support.  

The event was led by Manhattan Borough president Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Barton L. Jackson II,  who was recently appointed as the Executive Director of the National LGBTQ+ and Allied  Chamber of Commerce New York. Hoylman-Sigal opened the summit by showing appreciation to  LGBTQ+ business leaders that drive our community forward. He focussed on the importance of  community, and described New York City as a “safe haven” to LGBTQ+ folk. He discussed the  recent book ban that has affected several American states, as well as the denial of basic human  rights to trans and queer children. He proclaimed that New York City will never be one where  queer folk are afraid to raise their children. New York City Comptroller Mark Levine also made an  appearance to greet speakers and guests.  

Hoylman-Sigal then introduced Steven Garibell and Christina Calisi to the stage, who spoke about what it means to be visible as an LGBTQ+ company. Garibell currently works as the Vice President of Business Development at TD Bank. Calisi is the founder of Christina Calisi casting. She was responsible for platforming the first ever trans casting professional on Broadway, which she  referred to as ‘her first moment of true success’. Calisi spoke about the power of impact, and expressed that she saw stepping into the spotlight as a means to create platforms for others like her. “If you can’t see it, you can’t be it.” She talked about the various challenges queer people 

face when it comes to casting- with the world asking questions like, “how do we know they’re  queer?”. Garibell emphasised the importance of community, and the impact of seeing diversity in  those who succeed. “Visibility isn’t vanity,” he said, “It is a double edged sword, and we have to  do the best we can to overcome the scarcity mindset and stand up for our community, for those  who do not have the same resources and opportunities.”  

Jeffery Garcia, the executive director of the New York City office of Nightlife, then introduced a  panel of LGBTQ+ business owners in the food & beverage industry. These individuals further  confirmed the vitality of community as small business owners belonging to a minority. Mario Vivas,  the owner of Criollas, a baked empanada restaurant in Columbus Circle, spoke about the  struggles of starting a business during the pandemic. “The most valuable thing I had then was the  advise of other small business owners in NYC.” Arnyce Foster-Hernandez, owner of Featuring The  Cafe, a gourmet coffee shop and community cornerstone in Harlem, spoke about the importance  of a woman owned, black owned, LGBTQ+ space in her small Harlem community. “Growing up,  there was zero diversity where I grew up, which is quite the opposite of how things are now,” said  Foster-Hernandez.  

Christopher Taylor, co-owner of Li-Lac Chocolates, admitted to feeling a weight on his back from  taking over a legacy company. Li-Lac Chocolates has been an NYC staple for over 103 years,  dubbed ‘the gay chocolate’ by generations past. Taylor spoke about the risk that came with  making changes to the branding that consumers have loved for decades, and how his community  truly came together to ensure the chocolate empire does not melt. He joked that he was  encouraged by his partner to take over ownership of the company,”I told him, ‘you don’t really  want me to have the company, you just want to eat the product.’”