8 JULY 25, 2019 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
32BJ’s Héctor Figueroa memorial planned
BY BILL PARRY
BPARRY@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@RIDGEWOODTIMES
Union members, activists, friends
and family of Héctor Figueroa
gathered July 24 at Riverside
Church in Harlem to celebrate his life
and lasting impact on labor, immigrant
justice and social justice movements in
the United States.
The Jackson Heights resident, and
president of 32BJ SEIU, died suddenly of
a heart attack on July 11. He was 57 and
is survived by his wife Diedre, and his
children Eric and Elena.
Under the union’s constitution,
Executive Vice President Kyle Bragg
automatically assumed leadership of
32BJ as its new president representing
more than 175,000 property service
workers including window cleaners,
airport workers, superintendents,
doormen, maintenance workers,
cleaners, porters and security offi cers
in 11 states.
“We have lost a brother, a beautiful
mind, an irreplaceable union leader
and a real fi ghter for justice,” Bragg said.
“Héctor believed in 32BJ and planted
many seeds during his tenure that have
now blossomed into the powerful work
that the union will continue in his legacy.
Today we mourn our leader but we
continue standing strong to fi ght for our
shared vision for a more just society.”
Bragg, a member of 32BJ for more
than three decades who lives in Rosedale
with his wife and three children, added
that under Figueroa’s presidency, 32BJ
grew by more than 50,000 members and
passed dozens of local and state policies
protecting and lift ing working families
into the middle class up and down the
East Coast at a time when the labor
movement across the country has been
in decline.
“It is impossible to overstate the loss
of Héctor to our SEIU family. Héctor
has made a lasting impact on the heart
and soul of our union, and he will be
sorely missed,” SEIU President Mary
Kay Henry said. “Héctor’s leadership
made it possible for janitors, doormen
and women, security offi cers, airport
workers and so many other working
people across the U.S. and Puerto Rico
to join together and lift up their wages
and improve their jobs.”
The union released a passage from
a posthumous op-ed Figueroa wrote
for The New York Times entitled, “The
Labor Movement Can Rise Again,” which
captured his personal and principled
concern for working people.
“It’s not too late to rebuild our
movement,” Figueroa wrote. “If labor
wants to have a real impact, our
movement needs a big and ambitious
plan to organize it. It is heartbreaking
to witness our movement risk nearirrelevance
when workers are ready to
take action.”
In the aft ermath of his death, tributes
to Figueroa poured in from Democratic
Presidential candidates, Governor
Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio
and dozens of local and state elected
offi cials. State Senator James Sanders,
who represents the communities that
surround JFK International Airport,
might have summed up Figueroa’s
legacy best.
“Héctor Figueroa was the embodiment
of a compassionate leader. A true
hero and a champion for millions
of Americans in this great country,”
Sanders Jr. said. “He fought for fair
pay, good benefi ts, and safer working
conditions for union members; many of
which were in my district. What made
Héctor special was his willingness to
work on issues outside his union. Not
only did he stand up for all of his union
brothers and sisters, he worked tirelessly
for the working class. Héctor genuinely
cared for all working people.”
At the request of his family and in
lieu of fl owers, all are encouraged to
donate in Figeuroa’s name to two causes
he deeply cared about, The Sunrise
Movement, a youth climate change
organization, and United We Dream, an
immigration advocacy group.
The union says it will honor Figueroa
by carrying on his legacy.
BY BILL PARRY
BPARRY@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@RIDGEWOODTIMES
The $13 million Jewel Avenue
Bridge rehabilitation project is
complete, Governor Andrew
Cuomo announced Friday, July 19.
The span, which crosses the
Van Wyck Expressway, now has a
repaired bridge deck and structural
steel, and the road surface has
been repaved and its sidewalks
reconstructed. The project also
refurbished the exit and entrance
ramps that connect Jewel Avenue to
the southbound Van Wyck.
“New York state is investing in
infrastructure like never before,
and the completion of this project
is proof positive that we are
committed to investing in the safety
and efficiency of our roads and
bridges,” Cuomo said. “Motorists
and pedestrians alike will benefit
from the increased ease of travel and
other critical improvements made
by this project.”
Additional improvements include
new lED streetlights, traffic lights,
drainage scuppers and fencing.
Signage along the roadway was
upgraded to meet current standards
and provide better reflectivity and
The Jewel Avenue overpass over the Van Wyck Expressway in Kew Gardens Hills Photo via Google Maps
readability.
“Over the years, Queens has had
several bridges and overpasses in
need of long overdue repair, and I
am delighted that the Jewel Avenue
Bridge is being reopened,” state
Senator Toby Ann Stavisky said.
“Bridges are vital to connecting
communities and this project is
an important addition to Queens
County.”
The bridge serves as a connector
between Forest Hills on the west side
of the Grand Central Parkway and
Kew Gardens Hills to the east of the
Van Wyck Expressway. It’s also part
of the routes of the Q4/Q44 express
bus and the Q64 local bus.
“The revamped Jewel Avenue
Bridge will make commutes safer
and smoother for pedestrians and
motorists, and that is great news for
our community,” Councilman Rory
Lancman said.
The project also included the
repair of three retaining walls
along the eastbound Long Island
Expressway: between 58th Street and
Maurice Avenue; between Junction
Boulevard and 97th Place; and at the
exit ramp at 138th Street. Additional
signage and roadway striping were
also added along Meadow Lake Drive
in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Héctor Figueroa will be succeeded by Executive Vice President Kyle
Bragg. Courtest of 32BJ
Cuomo to fund Jewel Ave. Bridge rehab
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