diversity & inclusion

South Bronx: Gibson Delivers 2nd State of the Borough Address at Cardinal Hayes High School

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson delivered her 2nd Annual State of the Borough Address at Cardinal Hayes High School in the auditorium named after Bronx legend and Bronx Walk of Fame inductee Regis Philbin, on April 18, 2024. The borough president outlined major accomplishments that include an investment of over $35 million in education and over $8.9 million in capital allocations to public and private health facilities. 

UPDATE Op-Ed: A Plea for a Path to Peace

By VIRGINIA KROMPINGER
I recently traveled to Israel as a member of the Bronx delegation of Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15), sponsored and masterfully organized by the United Jewish Appeal Federation of New York (UJA). The purpose was to send a message of solidarity to Israel. Torres is the strongest supporter of Israel in Congress, certainly on the Democratic side of the aisle.

Some Jewish Constituents Call Out Torres on Gaza Again

By SÍLE MOLONEY
The latest demonstrations seen on the country’s college campuses are a reminder that many New Yorkers continue to vehemently oppose U.S. military support for Israel in the ongoing Israel-Hamas War. As of May 1, according to Al Jazeera’s live tracker, 1,139 people have been killed in Israel since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas carried out a terrorist attack in southern Israel and took around 240 Israelis hostage, some of whom have since been released.  

UPDATE Fordham University Student Sit-in for Gaza Commences on Bronx Campus, Rally also Held Outside

By SÍLE MOLONEY
As ongoing student demonstrations in support of Gaza and Israel on New York City and other college campuses continue to dominate the nation’s television screens, along with what some see as controversial crackdowns on such protests by the NYPD and other police departments, around 20-30 people were seen rallying in support of Gaza outside the gates of Fordham University’s Bronx campus on Friday evening, May 3, at around 7 p.m. One attendee informed us that a sit-in by Fordham students had commenced earlier that day inside the walls of the college’s campus and was seemingly still ongoing.

BP Holds Historic Flag-Raising Ceremony at Borough Hall to Mark Transgender Day of Visibility

By ARIEL PACHECO
The transgender flag was raised for the first time in front of Bronx Borough Hall on April 1, marking a historic moment for the Bronx transgender community, and coinciding roughly with Transgender Day of Visibility, which is celebrated nationally each year on March 31. Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson was joined by Bronx LGTBQIA+ leaders for the historic occasion in The Bronx.

Former BP Diaz Jr. & Hip Hop Legend Fat Joe Discuss Uplifting The Bronx at Lehman College Event

By ARIEL PACHECO, DAVID GREENE & SÍLE MOLONEY
Friends, former Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Hip Hop legend Fat Joe, gathered at Lehman College on March 26 to discuss their respective professional lives, as well as their upbringings and their ongoing commitment to improving The Bronx. The annual event at Lehman, ordinarily held in the form of a lecture, was, this year, called, “Hip Hop with a Heart: The Civic Mind of The Bronx.” The lecture series itself dates back to 1970.

Op-Ed: Veterans Issues: Why They Are Important

By CHAD Y. ROYER
Veterans make up one of our most vital demographics within our neighborhoods near and far. Some are open to sharing and disclosing their levels of service while others shy away from the subject. The people we interact with daily, like the police officer, the truck driver, the florist, the construction worker, or even the neighbors on our block may have served our country, and we may not even know it. Simply put, Veteran issues matter…or do they?

UPDATE North Riverdale: My Sister’s Keeper “Unconference” Honors Various Leaders

By SÍLE MOLONEY
New York City Public Schools, My Sister’s Keeper (MSK) Bronx Committee, along with the Office of the Bronx Borough President, hosted the “My Sister’s Keeper ‘Unconference’,” on Wednesday, March 27, in North Riverdale. Over 1,000 students from schools across The Bronx filled the Hayes Auditorium on the campus of the University of Mount St. Vincent, located at 6301 Riverdale Avenue, as various girl and women leaders from different backgrounds were honored and encouraged to continue their work. 

UPDATE Woodlawn: Bob Nolan Honored by BP at Irish Heritage Month Celebration

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Former City official and aide to four former Bronx borough presidents, Robert “Bob” Francis Nolan, who died on Dec. 15, 2023 at the age of 70, as reported, was honored with a posthumous award in the presence of his family during an Irish Heritage Month celebration hosted by the Office of the Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson on March 27.