Start Lighthouse hosts election event
‘Power of the Vote’ virtual workshop details importance of free, fair elections
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,30 OCTOBER 16-22, 2020 BTR
FROM LEFT, BACK ROW: Fran Healy; Amelia Moschetta; Carmela Cillo; Fran Arico, Red Hat
Diva Queen; Anna Hofmann; proprietor’s son, Vincent and Chef Rob. SEATED, FROM LEFT:
Ann Progler and Ann Pilla.Special thanks to Tommy at Mastergraphics for the donation of
the beautiful sign.
BY THE PELHAM BAY RED HAT DIVAS
On Thursday, Sept. 30, the fi rst
day of indoor eating since March, the
Divas and friends welcomed Orrico’s
back to indoor restaurant eating.
We had a most delicious lunch with
scrumptious desserts, including Chef
Rob’s specialty cinnamon smash and
tartufo. Orrico’s has been open to only
outgoing orders since March. Many
small businesses suffered great losses
and are being forced to close down
since they cannot pay their expenses
with no business. Let’s help keep the
Bronx local store owners open and
shop at your local stores and show that
ALL BRONX BUSINESSES MATTER.
Be well and be safe!
BY JASON COHEN
A nonprofi t focused on literacy
in the south Bronx recently
held a virtual workshop
about the importance of free
and fair elections, voter suppression
and how to protect
voting rights.
On Sept. 24, Start Lighthouse
hosted “The Power of
The Vote,” where Chantel
Jackson, a candidate for Assembly
District 79, Kenny Burgos
, a candidate for Assembly
District 85 and and Felicia
Singh, a City Council candidate
for District 32, discussed
these issues.
“With my district leaders,
I have been pushing for
more young people to be poll
workers,” Jackson said. “It allows
them to see the process
early on. I started being a poll
worker when I was 17 which allowed
me to truly engage with
the process. It’s important to
start young individuals early
with the necessary training
and these jobs.”
The conversation was
led by Start Lighthouse Cofounder
Anya Morales and its
Director of Community Outreach
Shelby Williams. According
to Lighthouse Executive
Director and Co-Founder
Rina Madhani, about 50 people
attended the program
from New York, Chicago and
San Francisco.
“Our panelists were engaging
and passionate about
standing up for our voting
rights,” Madhani said to the
Bronx Times. “It was just really
cool to see how far Start
Lighthouse reaches.”
Burgos stressed how important
voting is not only for
presidential elections but also
on the local level.
“It begins with electing
offi cials at the local and federal
level that look like them,
who have struggled like them
and who believe in them,”
he said. “By putting that belief
back into our democracy,
we can set a path towards a
better future.”
Ted Young, a senior math
teacher at The Bronx School of
Law, Government and Justice
enjoyed the program and said
voting in this coming election
is crucial. He commended
Start Lighthouse for holding
the program.
“Events like these are important
because they help empower
and educate members
of the community of all ages
by making complex knowledge
of systems more accessible,”
Young said.
Shelby Williams, director of community outreach and engagement at Start Lighthouse.
Courtesy of Start Lighthouse
Red Hat Divas at Orrico’s