FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MAY 27, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 21
Meng joins Biden for historic signing
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
President Joe Biden on Th ursday,
May 20, signed the COVID-19 Hate
Crimes Act into law to help combat the
rising hate and violence against Asian
Americans during the pandemic.
In his speech, Biden thanked both
Democrats and Republicans for passing
the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which
received bipartisan support in Congress
— something that hasn’t happened for
far too long in Washington, Biden said.
Th e president said he hopes the signing
ceremony, which comes during Asian
American and Pacifi c Islander (AAPI)
Heritage Month, sends a message to
descent to hold the offi ce, thanked lawmakers
the Asian American community: “We
for their work on the legislation.
see you.”
“To the members of our United States
“For centuries, Asian Americans,
Congress on both sides of the aisle
Native Hawaiians, Pacifi c Islanders,
who helped pass the COVID-19 Hate
diverse and vibrant communities, have
Crimes Act, thank you,” Harris said.
helped build this nation only to be oft en
“Because of you, history will remember
stepped over, forgotten or ignored,”
this day and this moment when our
Biden said. “My message to all of those
nation took action to combat hate.”
who are hurting is, we see you. And the
Th e COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act will
Congress has said, we see you. And we
establish an offi ce in the Department of
are committed to stop the hatred and
Justice to facilitate an expedited review
the bias.”
of COVID-19 hate crimes, encourage
Vice President Kamala Harris,
more reporting of incidents in multiple
the fi rst woman and person of Asian
languages, and help make diff erent
communities feel more empowered to
come forward and report incidents. It
would also direct federal agencies to
work with community-based organizations
to raise awareness of hate crimes
during the pandemic.
Truly heartened by the moment
of the signing of her bill into law,
Queens Congresswoman Grace
Meng said she is “proud to have
championed this issue of fi ghting for
the safety of Asian Americans.” Aft er
the event, Meng was presented with
a pen that the president used to sign
her legislation.
Stringer proposes plan to
increase to Parks budget
BY ARIEL PACHECO
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Mayoral candidate Scott Stringer proposed an
increase to the Parks Department’s operating budget
to ensure that every park and playground has a clean
bathroom and changing station by 2029 at Bellevue
South Park Wednesday.
Th e proposal would also ensure adequate genderneutral
facilities and rightsize the proportion of gender
specifi c bathrooms for women in an attempt to
reduce wait times. Th e goal is to equalize access across
all genders.
“If we want vibrant neighborhoods where working
families can thrive, we need to invest in our parks and
playgrounds and ensure they’re accessible to all. Every
park in all fi ve boroughs should be family-friendly —
and that means they should have a clean, usable bathroom
with a changing station,” Stringer said.
Stringer recently proposed building 200 new playgrounds.
All of those newly built playgrounds would
include a bathroom and changing station. He also
wants to add additional bathrooms to larger parks.
According to Stringer, only 40 percent of the 1,700
parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities in the
city include a comfort station and only 27 percent
have changing tables. He hopes to make parks more
family-friendly and to increase accessibility.
Th e Parks Department faced budget cuts last year,
losing 14 percent of its budget due to the pandemic.
Stringer’s plan would bring the Parks Department
budget to 1 percent of the city’s overall budget.
Part of Stringer’s proposal is to create a public map
of park amenities. Th e Parks Department would conduct
a full audit of its neighborhood parks and survey
residents to refl ect local needs. Th e NYC Parks
map and app would denote which facilities have public
restrooms.
“Th ese public spaces are critical resources that
bring neighbors together and anchor our communities.
When I’m mayor, New Yorkers won’t have to cut
the fun short,” said Stringer.
Who do they like?
Liu endorses Yang
for mayor
State Senator John Liu endorsed
Andrew Yang for mayor of New
York City. If elected, Andrew Yang
would be the fi rst Asian American
mayor in New York City’s history.
“Never before in New York’s history
have we needed a mayor who
not only has the vision to see how
badly our city needs transformative
change, but the will to see through
the historic measures necessary to
bring us back stronger than ever,”
Liu said. “We need a mayor with
his pulse on what people want, not
just what politics play well in the
moment. For the Asian American
community, Andrew is our Shirley
Chisholm – he is our hope. He
became our dream. I’m deeply
proud to endorse Andrew for mayor
of our great city, and I can’t wait to
work with him in Albany to deliver
for every New Yorker.”
Yang thanked Liu for the endorsement,
calling him, “a trailblazer for
the Asian American community and
all of New York City.”
“I am going to fi nish the job that
John Liu started and become the
fi rst Asian American mayor in the
history of New York City,” Yang said.
“Th is is a historic chance for us, the
people of New York City, to have a
government that works for no one
but us.”
Quiroz scores LGBTQ
endorsements
More than 100 LGBTQ business
owners, artists, advocates, political
club leaders and longtime New
Yorkers announced support for
community activist Alfonso Quiroz
in the June 22 Democratic primary
for the District 25 New York City
Council seat representing Jackson
Heights and Elmhurst.
Th e announcement follows the
endorsements of New York State
Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell,
LGBTQ Victory Fund, Stonewall
Democratic Club of New York
City and former New York State
Governor David Paterson, a staunch
champion of marriage equality and
LGBTQ rights.
“I am extremely grateful for this
overwhelming support from people
I have come to know during
more than two decades in New York
City, from people I have marched
with, who have served on the front
lines in the fi ght for equality and
opportunity,” Quiroz said. “Many
have led or been a part of civic and
political groups, but many others
are small business owners, active in
their neighborhoods and the community
I call home. Th ey want to
live in a society free from harassment
and bias. As their elected representative,
I will not waver in my
fi ght to achieve equality for all.”
Offi cial campaign photo
Comptroller and Mayoral Candidate Scott Stringer.
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
U.S. President Joe Biden signs the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law during a ceremony
in the East Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 20, 2021.
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
link
link
link
