Editorial
Stop the hate
“Appalled.” “Furious.” Cowardly.”
These words have been printed in our
media as we try to bring attention to the
alarming increase of anti-Asian hate crimes
across the city.
But words alone are not enough. We hear
residents and politicians alike condemn these
crimes, but actions speak louder than words,
and we need to take action and work to put
an end to this bigotry.
Chinatown has seen all kinds of hateful
episodes since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived
last year. In recent weeks, people of
Asian descent have been slashed and beaten
at random by attackers who targeted them for
no other reasons than their ethnicity.
Then, on Tuesday night, the troubling reports
came out of Atlanta that a gunman shot
and killed eight women, all of Asian descent,
at spas across Georgia’s capital. It has all the
earmarks of yet another ghastly hate crime
committed by an evil, ignorant individual.
Yet far too many hate crimes across New
York City go unreported or unsolved. And
that must change.
So, how can we help put an end to these
types of crimes? By standing together, supporting
each other and condemning these acts.
We have seen Manhattan officials host
rallies around the borough denouncing the
hate crimes. And those rallies are necessary
and important — but they are not enough.
We need to see more action at the community
level.
Anyone who is the victim of a hate crime
should report it to authorities. Far too often
these crimes are underreported, and if victims
don’t go to the police, they should feel
comfortable bringing it to the attention of
their local community boards or even their
neighbors, who can join forces and help bring
attention to these incidents, or even solve a
case.
After all, who knows the people in their
neighborhoods better than the person who
lives in your building, or who lives next door?
No one should be afraid of reporting hate
crimes to the NYPD. The dedicated detectives
in the Hate Crimes Task Force care
only about bringing the bigots responsible for
hateful attacks upon New Yorkers to justice.
Only by reporting these crimes and making
them public, can we begin to weed out
the “bad eggs” and make a difference.
Saying change is necessary doesn’t make
it so; acting on those words does.
Publisher of The Villager, Villager Express, Chelsea Now,
Downtown Express and Manhattan Express
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VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS
JOSHUA SCHNEPS
ROBERT POZARYCKI
EMILY DAVENPORT
MARK HALLUM
DEAN MOSES
ALEJANDRA O’CONNELLDOMENECH
BOB KRASNER
TEQUILA MINSKY
MARCOS RAMOS
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Op-ed
Rebuilding NYC as a dual
hub of science and art
BY PETER SCHUBERT
AND NANCY J KELLEY
Imagine if New Yorkers embraced science
with the same energy, import, and
cultural inclusion as they do with the
city’s vibrant arts and cultural scene.
Before the pandemic, more artists lived
in the NYC metropolitan region than any
other city in America. Artists flock here
because it has approximately nearly 300
museums and galleries as well as the highest
amount of patronage, despite its high costs.
By the same token,the greater New York
metropolitan area has the most scientists
and biomedical engineers per capita in the
country. And, with nearly 150 schools for
math and science, NYC has the top concentration
of prominent medical institutions
in the world. But still, we don’t embrace
science with the same zest as we do the arts.
By fostering a mecca for science as well
as art — where science buildings and
scientific programs engage and energize
New Yorkers — the city could usher in a
new wave of business and talent. It could
be an economic driver that generates jobs
in the research and tech industries, attract
New Yorkers from underrepresented communities,
and support the city’s workforce
development goals by drawing in students
of every age.
Not forgetting the appeal of having a
museum nearby, imagine a beautiful science
building in the neighborhood that
inspires a better world through community
participation. Creating open, inviting
public spaces with a bustling atmosphere
can bring a new energy to the traditionally
siloed buildings. For instance, let’s bring
art studios into research buildings demonstrating
ongoing innovations in real time,
encouraging interactive experiences for
children that stimulate curiosity and provide
information about careers in science.
The convergence of arts and sciences
is already gaining momentum by talented
artists. A recent MoMA exhibit called Bio
Designexplored the intersection of biology
and technology, and MoMA’s PS1 displayed
abrick structure of biodegradable units made
from farm waste and fungus.Brooklyn’s BIOBAT
Art Space forges relationships between
local artists, scientists, and innovators. The
Fashion Institute of Technology built labs to
create new fabrics.
Like art, science relies on a level of abstraction
to invent the world in new ways.
For this reason, art and science have been
intertwined since the beginning of human
history. They make invincible allies. It’s the
combination of their qualitative and quantitative
aspects that produces great urban
cultures such as New York.
While many cities can boast a concentration
of sciences or the arts, New York City
is the ultimate alchemist.
By tapping into the current ethos, we can
transform New York into a 21st-century Renaissance
city that leads the country and the
world in artistic creationandscientific innovation.
It is time to celebrate the architecture
of science with the same artful innovation we
expect and enjoy in our cultural buildings.
Peter Schubert is a partner at Ennead,
an international architecture firm, and designer
of life sciences and medical facilities
for world-renowned institutions.
Nancy J. Kelley is President and CEO
of Nancy J Kelley + Associates, a firm that
“builds things that matter for science and
medicine” including facilities and institutions.
She is also a Founding Member of
NYC Builds BIO+, a nonprofit organization
dedicated to advancing life sciences in New
York City.
8 March 18, 2021 Schneps Media
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