“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.”
— Malcolm X
In this blog you will find important facts about New York City since it has a rich history of making headlines for its social activism. Activist groups have influenced significantly and have impacted to the local, state and federal government for the better off their communities.
During our visit to the museum we visually experienced the historical events which took place over the course of city’s activism culture that expanded the decades of housing, labor and race.
History of picture of homeless: was created in 1999 and continues to agitate the New York’s politicians and housing officials via education and demonstration. The facts are since the 1970’s as depicted in the PBS documentary,”Decades of FIres”. Today New York City has chosen not to supply affordable housing for working poor (low income) and the middle class which is one step away from homelessness. The most egregious fact is the current administration is sending it homeless to New Jersey with one year housing vouchers, an action that has prompted the Mayor of Newark and Jersey City to sew the DiBlasio’s administration. Which is focused on given tax incentives to developers who are creating “affordable” housing for hipsters, in addition to privatising NYCHA. http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/decade-of-fire/http://picturethehomeless.org/home/about/early-history-and-founders/ https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2019/10/19/nycha-residents-take-to-the-streets-to-protest-privatization
Labor issues since the garment workers as depicted in The Museum of the City of New York exhibit; “I am a working Girl -Upheaval in the Garment Trades 1900-1915”. Struggles around the rights of workers to feed, educate their families, are reflected in the modern day treatment of the Asian food delivery workers by corporations and the city by inflicting who stiff fines that range from 100 to 200 dollars. After one worker amassed five thousands in fines the ebike immigrants banned together to address the issue at chinatown community center on December 12, 2017, to organize around the the mayor and nypd’s crack down on e-bikes, a practice that was featured in “Crains and Street Blogs NYC”. Several of the asian ebike workers were recently part of the Activism Exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York. https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2017/12/15/confronted-by-delivery-workers-in-sunset-park-de-blasio-insists-on-e-bike-crackdown/
Race and the white nypd officers in new york city is a problematic issue that prompts the question WHY do they shoot first then claim they were afraid for their lives. As in the unprovoked shooting murder of Omar J. Edwards a nypd officer whose crime was he chased the burglar who ransacked his car and got away when his fellow white officer shot him 6 times. Their excuse was their lives were threatened and had to protect themselves. however, this claim does not justify their actions, when they’ve received extensive police training. It is clear race was a factor when a white person commits a crime white officers somehow are able to wound not kill. In 2013 the grassroots organization Equality for Flatbush has developed a website to educate its community on how to handle and document nypd activities in response to police shootings of armed and unarmed residents and non residents ihttps://newsone.com/193451/off-duty-nypd-cop-fatally-shot-by-fellow-officer/
Since November 29, 2012 instead of hours employees in NY fast food workers organized for better wages and right to form a union. Nationwide service employees are more focused on increasing the minimum wage into a living wage. On April 4, 2013 which correlated to the Memphis Sanitation Strike (Dr. Kings murder) hundreds of NYC’s fast food workers marched in the streets similar in May workers in Detroit, St. Louis, Seattle and Milwaukee the nationwide movement was part of NY Communities for Change, The Black Institute and Service Employees International Union.
In response to the workers demand Gov. Coumo finally signed legislation to raise the minimum to $15 for State employees and in 2016 Mayor DeBlasio in a piecemeal fashion also raised NYC’s minimum to $15. In addition the only political candidate who walked with and consistently is in support of raising the federal minimum wage is 2020 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.workerscenter.org%2Fcalendar%2Ffilm-river-i-stand-documentary-mlk-and-memphis-sanitation-workers-strike%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR01dJ5OKmLrXopLNuKCEzJOBCzKINQR3sE27dg9GJz3oYHN6QlRiVoe6JE&h=AT0vTwEthS5hOt-Hj0n-huGy0ZFwFg17hjGdU92S0sIgzgDHTbqAmhk9EjPLEsxtoDwnyqXPk8vYbH5u_Z7zwc8Ez6Ohr3EA4Vn-w-h-FsjFR8CF4WS4fJP6UlYdOLGSyNgR_qenZDRxYF3aoVNQgsdT
Activist New York 