FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JANUARY 24, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 23
Katz looks to get real census numbers for Queens
BY MARK HALLUM
mhallum@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Queens Borough President Melinda
Katz vowed that the Queens Complete
Count Committee will get real fi gures on
the population, documented immigrant
or not, as the battle at the federal level over
the 2020 census is contested in the courts
over a proposed citizenship question in
the forms.
During a reporters’ roundtable on Jan.
22 at Queens Borough Hall in advance of
her Jan. 25 State of the Borough address,
Katz stressed the importance of getting
real fi gures on how many people now in
Queens for infrastructure and city planning
Photo: Mark Hallum/THE COURIER
Deputy Borough President Sharon Lee (l.) and Borough President Melinda Katz briefed reporters on
progress and issues throughout Queens.
Islamic charity gives Flushing nonprofi t $15K for anti-bullying eff orts
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
In celebration of its 25th anniversary,
Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), a nonprofi t
humanitarian and advocacy organization,
has awarded a $15,000 grant to a Flushing
organization for its campaign denouncing
anti-Muslim harassment and bullying.
IRUSA, based in Alexandria, VA,
awarded the “Silver Anniversary” grant to
Turning Point for Women and Families,
a Flushing community-based nonprofit
organization addressing the needs of
Muslim women and children aff ected by
domestic violence.
“As with all applicants, it was strictly
based on the quality of the application.
A committee reviewed all applications
on the merits of the proposals,”
said Syed Hassan, media relations specialist
at IRUSA. “Th is project will help
empower young people to create a social
media campaign that will address the negative
behaviors that, unfortunately, have
seemed to become more common.”
Th e “Silver Anniversary Community
Bridge-Building” program was
announced as an initiative to bridge the
diff erences that frequently divide communities
— such as religion, race or political
opinion, according to IRUSA. Th e
grant announcement generated 175 formal
inquiries from organizations working
in 36 states and the territory of Puerto
Rico, demonstrating that people all across
America are interested in fi nding common
bonds and committing to a common
mission for the sake of their communities.
It’s the fi rst time IRUSA had chosen
an organization from Queens, according
to Hassan. Th e Silver Anniversary grant
was a one-time grant process, as it was a
part of making their milestone. However,
organizations are welcome to apply for
project grants throughout the year, said
Hassan.
“Th e tremendous response from grassroots,
community-based and national
organizations shows that people who on
the surface have little in common can
come together to make the world a better
place — a place where there’s more unity,
more sensitivity, and an endless amount
of potential and promise,” said Anne
Wilson, director of programs for IRUSA.
Turning Point in partnership with
Grace Episcopal Church youth leaders
will work together to facilitate workshops
and launch a social media campaign to
educate their peers and communities on
the impacts of bullying and hate, as well
as share bystander intervention strategies.
Th e project seeks to build bridges within
the larger Muslim and Christian communities,
with the goal of promoting
community cohesion and greater respect
across diff erent faiths, nationalities, race,
gender, sexual orientation and immigration
status, according to IRUSA.
“Turning Point for Women and
Families is honored to receive IRUSA’s
‘Silver Anniversary Grant’ and to work
with our partners from Grace Episcopal
Church,” said Tazmin Uddin, youth program
coordinator at Turning Point. “We
look forward to helping a generation of
upstanding individuals take the lead as
they address bullying, hate, and all the
forms of discrimination that seek to separate
us.”
purposes claiming that many may
not participate in the census if it forces
them to admit to living with someone or
being in the country illegally.
Th ere are currently over 70 people
signed onto the committee to knock on
doors in their communities and get an
accurate count, according to Katz.
“Everybody is aff ected by the census,
every single person in the United States
is eff ected by who and how many fi ll out
that census. So in the borough of Queens
where you have a very large immigrant
population that may not either feel or trust
that fi lling out the census is important, we
need you to know that it truly is,” Katz
said. “Educational funding by U.S. government
and by the state, relies on the census
numbers. Highway money, housing
money, elected representation in the house
of representatives and as well in the state
Legislature relies on the census numbers.
If we’re not fi lling out the census we are
not getting our fair share for the children
and seniors who live in our communities.”
Th e 2020 federal census is currently
being challenged in the House of
Representatives oversight committee, with
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross expected
to testify once again on the decision to
add the immigration status question.
Katz reiterated an issue that is
long-standing for education in Queens:
schools are more overcrowded than any
other borough and receive fewer funding
per student than any other part of the city.
Queens schools are currently at 106
capacity throughout the borough which
Katz said the School Construction
Authority is working to address through
new school sites, but it needs to be done
at a faster rate.
“It’s not like that all over the city of New
York, it’s only happening here. And by the
way, our funding matches the inequities,”
Katz said. “Per pupil spending in our
borough – $11,359 is spent for very pupil
in Queens. In the Bronx $14,186 is spent
… In Manhattan, $12,756 is spent, we are
the lowest.”
But libraries have gotten boost across the
borough this year with $46 million allocated
for facility upgrades and other needs,
Katz said.
Th e 116th Precinct, which will be split
off from the 105th Precinct, is something
Katz said will likely be funded in the city
budget and will provide relief to the cops
who are spread too thin across the southeast
Queens command.
Katz will also be working to have
reduced fares on the Long Island Rail
Road through south Queens from Barclays
Center extended as far as Manhattan.
Photo courtesy of IRUSA
Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) volunteers pack boxes with nonperishable foods that will be distributed to residents in need during Ramadan.
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