Frontus supports Coney Island’s P2A program
Assemblymember Mathylde Frontus, who secured $100,000 in the state budget for the Coney Island Pathways to Apprenticeship (P2A) Program, was the guest speaker at the program’s graduation ceremony at the Carey Gardens Community Center on Oct. 11 and later talked about the importance of giving people a chance to succeed.
The P2A program works to end intergenerational poverty by helping individuals in low-income communities gain experience in the building trades.
The P2A program provides residents of low-income communities, the under-employed and the formerly incarcerated with access to union construction apprenticeships that could lead to good-paying jobs. Graduates complete four weeks of classwork in a range of subjects.
“Those who are willing to put the work in should be given every opportunity to succeed, no matter their background or financial status. That’s why I was so proud to speak at the P2A program graduation ceremony and congratulate the new graduates who’ve worked so hard to build a better life for themselves. This program gives Coney Island residents from all walks of life a chance to gain some hands-on experience, and I know each of the graduates has a bright future ahead of them,” said Frontus, a Democrat representing Coney Island and parts of Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights.
Gounardes leads Marine Park clean-up
State Sen. Andrew Gounardes teamed up with the Marine Park Alliance and the Parks Department to organize a community clean-up of Lenape Playground on Oct. 12.
More than 100 volunteers painted, pruned, mulched and cleaned to beautify the playground during the event, which was part of Gounardes’ 3 for Community Initiative, an effort to promote volunteerism by having residents commit to three acts of service per week.
Gounardes, a Democrat representing several neighborhoods in Southern Brooklyn, praised the work of the volunteers.
“What a great morning! This is the second community clean-up of Lenape Playground I’ve held, and I’m consistently floored by the spirit and camaraderie of our Marine Park community. I’m glad we made the park a little bit better for the children who play here and the families who use it, though there’s still much more to do. Acts of service, large and small, truly do bring us together and strengthen our neighborhoods,” Gounardes said.
Persaud praises menstrual product law
State Sen. Roxanne Persaud said a new state law that will soon go into effect requiring companies making menstrual products to disclose the ingredients in their products will help raise customer awareness.
Tampons are marketed and sold with little or no data to assure the public that they contain safe ingredients, according to Persaud, who sponsored the bill. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers these products to be medical devices, a designation that allows manufacturers not to go into specifics regarding the products’ ingredients.
“It seems logical, considering the personal nature of menstrual products, that we require manufacturers to disclose the ingredients in the products that are widely used by women in the most intimate part of their bodies,” said Persaud, a Democrat whose district includes Canarsie, East New York, Mill Basin and Flatlands.
New York is the first state in the nation to have a menstrual products disclosure law.
“I am thrilled to see New York lead the way in the implementation of common-sense policy, and hope to see more states follow suit,” Persaud said.
Velázquez mourns Williamsburg civic leader
U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez issued a statement following the death of Miriam Cruz, a well known civic leader in Williamsburg.
“Miriam Cruz was a beloved member of the Williamsburg and Transfiguration Parish communities. A champion for children, Miriam worked tirelessly to strengthen our community and serve working families. In 1974, she joined Nuestros Niños Childhood Development Center, a care facility serving predominantly young, low-income women and families. After many roles, Miriam was named the center’s executive director in the early 2000s, a position she held until her untimely and unexpected passing,” said Velázquez, a Democrat whose congressional district includes parts of Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens.
“Our community has lost a steadfast public servant and I have lost a dear friend. Miriam L. Cruz will be deeply missed, but always remembered for her kindness, warmth and the countless lives she improved,” Velázquez said.
Salazar to host debate watch party
State Sen. Julia Salazar is hosting a party where people can watch the Democratic presidential candidates in a televised debate sponsored by CNN and the New York Times on Oct. 15.
The debate watching party will take place at Venus in Furs, 990 Broadway, in Bushwick.
“We’ll be screening the Democratic debate, scheduled to begin at 8 p.m., but I’ll be around before the debate to discuss the work that we’re doing in the community and what we have planned ahead of next legislative session,” Salazar wrote in the invitation.
Salazar, a Democrat who represents Bushwick and parts of Williamsburg, was elected to the State Senate in 2018.
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