by David Cruz

Norwood has long battled “the Bronx is burning” image since the days when the nation witnessed charred building remains in the south Bronx during the 1970s. Though the trend never reached Norwood, its stereotype remained etched in the minds of skeptic out-of-towners believing those days continue to exist.

It’s a reason why Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, representing Norwood, Morris Park, Bedford Park, and Pelham, was driven to begin Bronx Day in Albany. Last year was the venue’s inception, where community groups, lawmakers and business groups showcased the best of the Bronx. The sequel is said to be even bigger after word over the popularity of its inaugural event spread quickly. Neighborhood groups have since mobilized even further this year.

The all-day event, slated for Monday, April 28 in Albany, is expected to draw hundreds of guests to the capital’s conference building dubbed The Egg. For Gjonaj, his attendance to the event is bittersweet—he missed last year’s event to attend his late father’s funeral. This time, he’s pumped to deliver a speech on why the Bronx should not be seen as an afterthought.

“You know, when I was campaigning, I promised I would bring Albany to the Bronx,” Gjonaj told the Norwood News.  “I got it wrong. I’m actually taking the borough of the Bronx to Albany and it’s up to Bronxites to rebuild the reputation.”

By bringing the Bronx to Albany, a proactive sense overtakes the borough, one where it cannot wait for the perception of the borough to shift. To Gjonaj, bringing the Bronx to Albany could shape the borough’s destiny some. He often reminds the Bronx that the borough’s days are in front of it, not behind it.

Community Groups Unite
Plenty of groups in the area will attend, including representatives from the Four Bronx Institution Alliance—Montefiore Medical Center, Fordham University, the Bronx Zoo, and the New York Botanical Garden. All are expected to offer a taste of the borough’s progress. They’ll be joined by elected officials who’ve been promoting their colleague Gjonaj’s event via social media sites.

Neighborhood groups, including Community Board 7, the Bedford-Mosholu Community Association, and Friends of Mosholu Parkway, will also be on hand. Barbara Stronczer, head of the Bedford-Mosholu Community Association, will join the several hundred Bronxites shuttling to Albany via bus.

For Stronczer, a lifelong resident of Bedford Park, Bronx Day in Albany carries the same pro-Bronx message she’s been pushing for years. She’s heard the arguments before from visitors “nervous about coming to the Bronx,” but she’s known to counter each argument to the suburbanites and Manhattanites who are cautious of the borough, hoping to peel away the layer of negativity associated with the Bronx. “I’m always talking about the zoo, the Botanical Garden, or let’s meet and go to Yankee Stadium or Wave Hill,” said Stronczer.

Her vice president, Norma Jean Scully, viewed Bronx Day in Albany as a day of schmoozing with community-minded residents like herself. She attended last year, exchanging emails and phone numbers, networking with folks and learning about what the elected officials are up to. “We have a table set aside for ourselves with our name on it,” said Scully, who will also distribute fliers on behalf of the Friends of Mosholu Parkway.

Sheila Sanchez, representing three neighborhood groups—the Friends of Mosholu Parkway, Bedford-Mosholu Community Association and the Northwest Bronx Democrats—opportunely thinks this is the best time to cheerlead for the borough.

Tending to Small Business
The venue will also serve as a forum for disenfranchised small business owners who are part of a so-called donut hole that offers little incentives to them. A luncheon will kick off the meeting, intended to spark interest in several borough merchants to create a task force that would categorize any issues hurting them.

The task force would complement a bill that passed, mandating that the state create an annual report detailing the economic climate of so-called “micro businesses”–small businesses comprised of 25 staffers or less. The report will also offer solutions.

“Although we pass bills we think are for constituents and small businesses, oftentimes we hinder and take the oxygen out of small business,” said Gjonaj. “This report will actually detail what the needs are and we can focus on those needs first and foremost.”

The Future of Bronx Day
The days of Bronx Day in Albany largely depend on Gjonaj’s tenure. So far he has remained unchallenged this election season, offering him a chance to continue the event on through 2015. But Gjonaj hopes the Bronx delegation keeps this burgeoning tradition “because this is bigger than an individual.” “The nature of this event has been embraced by the entire Bronx delegation to be supportive in every way possible,” said Gjonaj.

Bus seats are limited. For more information, call Gjonaj’s assembly office at (718) 409-0109.