WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES FEBRUARY 14, 2019 13
BEING THE CHANGE
THEY WANT TO SEE
The organization I lead, a
nonprofit consulting firm called
Community Resource Exchange,
serves upwards of 500 nonprofits
annually. In the past year, we have
seen an uptick in requests from
social sector organizations seeking
guidance on how to prevent and
address issues of sexual harassment
and assault, driven in part by the
#MeToo movement.
Social sector organizations are
driven by their missions to do good
for others, but even mission-driven
organizations are susceptible to
issues of sexual harassment.
Seizing the #MeToo moment to
bring change gives employees the
respect and equity they deserve.
It’s also an opportunity for
organizational risk engagement:
the good work of any nonprofit can
be jeopardized by just one person’s
actions, exposing structural
weaknesses, power imbalances and
disparate responses.
As we heard during a panel we
hosted last week, all of this is often
inf luenced by unconscious bias,
and disproportionately harms
women, gender non-binary, and
trans women, and in particular,
people of color.
To address these issues,
nonprofits must focus on workplace
culture, not just compliance.
They must identify and address
disparit ies that exacerbate
gender inequity; diversify their
leadership and board; and focus on
strengthening accountability and
on investing in necessary human
resources.
Nonprofits exist to advance a
social purpose that betters the
world. Now we all must dig deeper
and implement institutional
change to illustrate that we are
truly committed to the real, lasting
benefits that equity can bring.
Katie Leonberger, President
& CEO, Community Resource
Exchange
LAMENTING
MORE CATHOLIC
CLOSURES
The recent announcements
by both the Archdiocese of New
York and the Diocese of Brooklyn
that several Catholic elementary
schools will be closing their doors
for good after this school year ends
in June is most distressing.
Why can’t these dioceses find
ways to keep these very vital
institutions of learning from
closing? All of the students
LETTERS AND COMMENTS
attending these schools will now
have to find other schools to
attend in September. All of the
administrators and faculties from
those schools will also have to find
new positions, if there are any
available.
This is so unfair, especially
considering that these two dioceses
have more money than the Vatican.
Why aren’t there available funds
to keep these schools solvent and
operating? Both dioceses are
probably too busy paying off sex
abuse claims from many victims of
sexual abuse by the clergy!
Shame on Cardinal Dolan and
Bishop DiMarzio, for not working
to keep all of these schools open.
They are nothing but politicians in
clerics’ clothing who really could
care less about the state of Catholic
education.
John Amato, Fresh Meadows
TOO MUCH
BORROWING ON
BOTH SIDES
First it was the Democrats who
doubled our national debt from
$10 to $20 trillion over eight years
under President Obama. Now it is
the Republicans who have added
another $2 trillion over the past
two years.
Will we ever learn from past
mistakes and attempt to reduce
both borrowing and long-term debt
instead of allowing them to grow
yearly. The new $22 trillion federal
debt is only going to continue
growing by $1 trillion per year.
This inheritance could bankrupt
future generations.
Uncle Sam needs to do a better
job with several trillion dollars in
annual generated revenues already
available, rather than pick the
pockets of taxpayers for even more.
It is time for a return to passing
annual fiscal year budgets on
time by Oct. 1 rather than a series
of continuing resolutions to keep
Washington open.
Returning to pay-as-you-go
budgeting means testing for
all government assistance
programs; real balanced budgets
without smoke and mirrors; stop
hiding spending under so-called
independent authorities whose
budgets are off line with little or
no oversight along with actual
surpluses and down payments to
reduce long term debt for all levels
of government.
Everything needs to be on the
table including the infamous
“third rails” of American politics
— Medicare, Medicaid, Social
Security and military spending.
How ironic that after winning
the Cold War against the Evil
Empire of Communism, it may be
mismanagement of our economy
that defeats us in the end.
Larry Penner, Great Neck
HOOKED BY A
MAILBOX FISHER
I am surprised that the 105th
Precinct has not informed you that
“mailbox fishing” has crept south
into Queens Village.
I was a victim of identity theft
(grand larceny scale) in late
December, when a check was
stolen from a mailbox on 217th
Street, south of Hillside Avenue, in
the vicinity of 90th/91st Avenues.
My only checks unaccounted for
date from September and early
December.
According to my bank, the thieves
were pretty thorough. They didn’t
“wash” the check yet. They used
the information on the check and
available for purchase online to
create a new me!
I think it’s imperative that your
readership know that “fishing” for
mail has spread, and is no longer
confined to Bayside, and that they
should be guided accordingly.
Name withheld upon request
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not be considered for publication.
The views expressed in all letters and
comments are not necessarily those
of this newspaper or its staff.
SNAPS
FOREST HILLS WILDLIFE
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY FLOR ANGELA CASTRO
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