Chinatown groups urges New Yorkers
to speak out against redistricting plan
BY HAEVEN GIBBONS
The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent
Association held a press conference
Nov. 9 to oppose both draft maps
realigning local State Senate districts, as
proposed by the Independent Redistricting
Commission.
The redistricting proposals would break
Chinatown into two different State Senate
districts.
“The Asian American community has
to be kept intact under any circumstances
whether it is State Assembly, State Senate,
Congressional or City Council District,”
said Justin Yu, president of the Chinese
Consolidated Benevolent Association,
during the conference.
Yu said the plan to divide Manhattan
Chinatown, especially the State Senatorial
line, will break their voices into pieces.
The conference was held to make the
Manhattan Chinatown community and
all New Yokers, at large, aware of the
proposed redistricting and the negative
impacts the plans would have on Manhattan
Chinatown and to urge people to attend
the Independent Redistricting Commission
hearings to testify against the proposed
The streets of Chinatown.
redistricting, said Mae Lee, executive director
of Chinese Progressive Association.
The Independent Redistricting Commission
hearings for New York County begin
on Nov. 10.
“We are fi ghting to keep our community
together,” Yu said. Adding, “United,
we have served the Chinese community
FILE PHOTO/TODD MAISEL
through many ups and downs, but we persevered
through it all. We will now get
through this struggle and take a stand
against the drawing of a line to pull us
apart.”
Possible impacts of the divide
Lee said the Independent Redistricting
Commission proposals would negatively
impact Chinatown for different reasons.
If the plan goes through, and Chinatown
Manhattan is divided, Manhattan
Chinatown will become a smaller part of
two separate districts. Lee said Chinatown
community leaders are worried that if
Manhattan Chinatown becomes a small
part of two different districts, as opposed
to being a larger part of one district, people
of Manhattan Chinatown will have less of
a voice and less power to make an impact.
“The reason why that is negative and not
good for us is because it dilutes our political
power. It also means we get less attention,”
Lee said.
Manhattan Chinatown used to be divided
in two separate districts until 1990
when it became one district.
“It’s like we have gone back in time,” Lee
said. “Things are not moving forward but
stepping backwards.”
Manhattan Chinatown is a single community
that belongs together in one district,
Lee said.
Along with Yu and Lee, other Manhattan
Chinatown Community leaders including
Ken Shieh, chief strategy offi cer at Charles
B. Wang Community Health Center and
Charlie Lai, executive director of Chung
Pak Local Development Corporation, attended
the conference at 62 Mott Street.
“Chinatown will not allow a line to be
drawn between us,” Yu said. “If anything,
the line stops here.”
MetroPlusHealth launches golden
promotion for essential workers
BY DEAN MOSES
MetroPlusHealth is looking out for
the city — especially its workers
with a special promotion during
its open enrollment period.
Known as MetroPlusHealthGold, insurance
offi cials celebrated the new campaign
on Nov. 9 with a special kick-off event at
their 50 Water St. headquarters. Adorned
with large golden balloons and a mural
depicting healthcare workers, executives
from the company gathered to ring in the
start of the program.
“We are able to offer essentially no cost
coverage for our city employees who have
been working so hard during COVID and
continue to work so hard every single day.
Besides the fact that it’s zero dollars every
month in terms of premiums, there are
no co-pays outside of urgent care and the
emergency room, so if you see a doctor or
a specialist you get a lab, or to get an x-ray,
no out of pocket expenses whatsoever. We,
also, in our medical coverage, cover some
of the basics such as low dose aspirin and
President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Talya Schwartz
certain things that people take regularly to
stay healthy,” MetroPlusHealth President
Dr. Talya Schwartz told amNewYork
Metro.
With the term essential worker having
been used to describe those who have
PHOTO BY DEAN MOSES
risked their lives while serving on the
frontlines against COVID-19, Schwartz
said this new program is intended to ensure
the health of those who kept the city that
never sleeps moving during the pandemic
receive quality health care. The program is
available to all New York City employees,
their qualifi ed domestic partners, eligible
dependents and non-Medicare eligible
retirees.
“We want to give them the absolute best
coverage and perks on top of the coverage.
So this is why this year on top of the weight
loss and the fi tness coverage, we also added
the free rides to medical care,” Schwartz
added.
MetroPlusHealthGold offers free 24/7
virtual access to doctors and therapists,
fi tness reimbursements, wellness programs,
medications pre-packaged and
delivered at no additional costs, and much
more.
Several trucks with large screens announcing
the plan could also be observed
outside 50 Water St., informing passersby
of the initiative. With enrollment now open
and lasting until Nov. 30, Schwartz encouraged
all those eligible to sign up as soon as
possible while speaking on her gratitude to
be afforded the ability to offer this care to
those who need it most.
“New York wouldn’t be what it is without
city employees. So we want to play our
role and provide them the best possible coverage,
the best access, and the perks that
are offered through MetroPlusHealthcare
gold,” Schwartz said.
Schneps Media November 11, 2021 3