Council Member Ritchie Torres - Civic Empowerment Lies at the Heart of Everything He Does

Bronx Health REACH’s Kelly Moltzen with New York City Council Member Ritchie Torres following the announcement of Torres’ $10,000 allocation towards Health Bucks in 2015.

Bronx Health REACH continues its series on individuals who have made a significant contribution to not only the Institute for Family Health, but to the  Black and Latino communities in the Bronx where they have been strong activists for needed change. A notable member of this group of change agents is New York City Council Member Ritchie Torres, representing the 15th Council District in the Central Bronx that includes the communities of Fordham, Mount Hope, Belmont, East Tremont, West Farms, Van Nest, and Allerton.

Growing up in New York City public housing Council Member Ritchie Torres knows all too well the poor housing conditions faced by residents of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). The mold from his childhood apartment triggered asthma attacks, resulting in many hospital visits. When his mother would call NYCHA staff about the mold, they would just paint it over. The problem would continue. As Chair of the NYC Council Committee on Public Housing, Council Member Torres is making sure public housing residents do not suffer as he did. In April, Senator Bernie Sanders and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, candidates for the Democratic Presidential nomination, were were invited by Council Member Torres to tour public housing to see firsthand the living conditions residents must endure. Senator Sanders accepted the offer and was led on a tour by Council Member Torres to public housing developments in the Central Bronx and Brownsville, Brooklyn. Secretary Clinton toured public housing in East Harlem.

"By inviting Senator Sanders and Secretary Clinton to tour public housing I was sending a simple message: You cannot confront inequality from the ivory tower. By visiting these public housing projects, you see the abysmal conditions residents live in every day. What you see is the impact from federal disinvestment. How could this be, in a city that has an $80 billion budget, a state that has a $140 billion dollar budget, and a country that has a $4 trillion budget? The tour led Secretary Clinton to commit to secure more funding for public housing."

A central issue of concern Council Member Torres hears from his constituents is affordable housing. "Among my constituents there is anxiety and fear over losing their homes and neighborhoods. We have seen neighborhoods that have been gentrified out of existence, affordable housing has been gentrified out of existence, and my constituents, who are living paycheck to paycheck, are fearful that their neighborhood is next. We need more investment from the federal government to solve the affordability crisis here in New York City.”

Council Member Torres also knows that his constituent’s limited income restricts their ability to purchase healthy food. To address this the Council Member pioneered the use of discretionary funding for Health Bucks, worth $2 each, they are used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets. For the past three years the Council Member has allocated funds towards Health Bucks for his district. "There is nothing more important than your health. With the funding for Health Bucks, more people in my district are able to purchase more fruits and vegetables at farmers markets. My hope is that more Council Members will take it up as a priority for their own districts."

The Council Member’s recent legislative efforts have included improving access to mental health services. "If you lack mental wellness, then a whole host of problems can arise. I have struggled with depression in my own life. It's a genuine disease in which you have no control, and can inhibit your ability to live a fully functional life. Knowing this I have introduced legislation requiring the city to create a mental health plan, specifically for LGBT seniors and others in the LGBT community who have been found to have some of the highest rates of depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide.”

With the Bronx being ranked 62 out of 62 counties in New York State by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Report, Council Member Torres believes that no single policy will solve the problem. "Since the Bronx has some of the highest rates of obesity and diabetes, I believe improvements in the public health of the Bronx needs to come from several initiatives such as Health Bucks, expanding the number of green markets, encouraging more healthy food options by creating a zoning or financial incentive for super markets and bodegas to offer healthier eating options. The solutions are there. What is lacking is the political will to overcome the health challenges in the Bronx.”


He also contends that change comes when community members take an active role in civic engagement. “Civic empowerment lies at the heart of everything I do. Communities that are civically empowered attract more economic development, and are in a stronger position to hold elected officials accountable for addressing the community’s fundamental needs. My number one goal is to build civic infrastructure in those neighborhoods I represent. That is why I am a strong supporter of participatory budgeting - it is an effective tool for building civic engagement and improvement. It’s a way for people to take ownership of their neighborhood. You have a right to have a voice in how money will be spent in your neighborhood, and you have a right to expect services that address the core needs of your neighborhood.”

Community Engagement and Empowerment Through Visioning Sessions

Parishioners from Calvary Victory Bible Church participating in a Visioning session.

The following post was written by Bronx Health REACH staff member Immaculada Moronta.

Recently, I led two visioning sessions for the Complete the Grand Concourse Initiative, which is an effort to bring life-saving improvements to the entire Grand Concourse with traffic calming measures, protected bike lanes, curb extensions, and dedicated bus lanes. The visioning sessions were held at two Bronx churches, who are partners in the Bronx Health REACH Faith Based coalition.

Visioning sessions are a great way to hear from the community about the concerns and improvements needed. Created by James Rojas, a visioning session involves a group of community members using objects such as small blocks of wood, string, artificial flowers, pipe cleaners etc. to design their ideal neighborhood/community. At both visioning sessions participants were instructed to use the material provided and design their community as they would like it, whether that was making streets safer, improvements to the parks or more places for physical activity in their neighborhood.

The first visioning session involved nine parishioners from Christ the King Church located off the Grand Concourse at Marcy Place. It plays a vital role in providing community support for getting the Complete the Grand Concourse Initiative done working with Bronx Health REACH’s partner, Transportation Alternatives. One participant mentioned that the Grand Concourse needs more lighting since it is quite dangerous to cross the street at night. Others mentioned that the Grand Concourse could use more cameras and give pedestrians more time to cross. One participant would like the Grand Concourse to be more aesthetically appealing such as Park Avenue in Manhattan. Another participant spoke about improving the park by having more benches, swings, trash cans, water fountains, more trees and flowers. Other park improvements participants wanted to see include having a first aid kit available and EMS responders at the park, water fountains for children to play, an area for dogs/pets, and benches in the shade for seniors to sit.

The second visioning session involved fifteen parishioners from Calvary Victory Bible Church including the Pastor of the Church and 8 children. At Calvary Victory Bible Church the first to share was a father and his four year old son, who I designated his special assistant. They had constructed what I thought was a basketball court, but was actually four camera poles that would be in their ideal park. They felt parks in the Bronx needed more lighting, and with increased lighting and surveillance the drug dealers would move elsewhere. The lighting would also help police with investigations. Another participant created a farmers market and a store that offered salads since she felt that did not currently exist in her neighborhood. One participant said that more community centers are needed with a focus on job training so young adults would stay off the streets. Another highlighted public safety, and would like to see more police involvement. Another participant went further by saying that since there are multiple ethnicities in her community, the police need to be trained better so they can be more welcoming to diverse communities.

I did not expect that racial inequality would be such a charged topic during the sessions. When I introduced the workshops I was expecting participants to focus on wider streets or on ways to improve the park, but those were not their immediate needs and wants.

Participants highlighted the violence and other public safety issues they face. Many feel unsafe when they visit their local parks and are afraid to bring their children because they see people smoking and breaking the law and do not want their children exposed to that. Being a Latina living in the Bronx, and, though, aware of the racial inequality that exists, because it is not part of my lived experience, I was caught by surprise that the issue of race was the big elephant in the room in both sessions. Many asked: “Why do we not have access to healthy food? Why is our rent increasing and we are being pushed out of our community? Why is gentrification happening?”

I strongly believe that real change can happen and Bronx Health REACH, along with our partners’ efforts, are addressing this head on. But it is a community effort, and many stakeholders must take action. The Bronx has a bright future, and even though eliminating health disparities is hard work, we should not grow weary in our efforts, but persevere. The #Not62-The Campaign for A Healthy Bronx! brings together Bronx community organizations and residents to eliminate health disparities. After holding these visioning sessions with Christ the King and Victory Bible Church members it is clear that community members must have a seat at the table and be actively involved in the decision making since they know best the problems and can offer solutions.

Bicycle and Soccer Program Comes to Claremont Village

Bronx Lebanon Hospital, a partner with Bronx Health REACH, is creating a bike and soccer program for residents of the Claremont Village community. The goal of the bicycle program is to  provide exercise and, very importantly, to establish bike lanes for the Claremont Village neighborhood connecting Mott Haven, Hunts Point and Claremont, with safe bike routes.

The bicycle program offers, every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. the Claremont in Motion Bike Ride Program  free, learn to ride classes and group rides  open to anyone ten years and older. Held at the Claremont Neighborhood Center, participants are first evaluated on their biking abilities, and if needed, offered riding lessons. Participants also take a road safety course before heading out for a group ride. Group rides have consisted of trips to the Bronx Zoo, the Bronx Botanical Garden, Crotona Park, and Randalls Island. Bike New York assists in the riding lessons and group rides. Another aspect of the bicycle program is working with Recycle a Bicycle to refurbish old bicycles, which will provide participants in the program with an opportunity to learn basic bicycle mechanics.

Street Soccer USA, and Bronx Lebanon Hospital, with support from Bronx Health REACH, is partnering on a  soccer program. On Saturday, September 10th a “Back to School” event was held at CS 55, with soccer training workshops being held for youths aged 5 to 18. The main attraction of the event, the Street Soccer USA Stadium, is where youth participating in the event can play short, 15 minute games during the day. The goal of the soccer program is to establish an after school program at CS 55 starting in October, and eventually build a soccer court within Claremont Village using  an underutilized space on the property.

Assemblyman Victor M. Pichardo - Making Government a Force for Good

Bronx Health REACH continues its series on individuals who have made a significant contribution to not only the Institute for Family Health, but to the African-American, Black and Latino communities in the Bronx where they have been strong activists for needed change. A notable member of this group of change agents is New York Assemblymember Victor M. Pichardo, representing the 86th New York State Assembly District, which includes the University and Morris Heights, Mount Eden, Kingsbridge, Tremont, and Fordham sections of the Bronx.

Assemblyman Victor M. Pichardo became interested in public service following a family tragedy fifteen years ago. The Asemblyman’s cousin, who had been working as a livery cab driver, accidently bumped a motorcycle and the motorcyclist ended up stabbing his cousin to death. The suspect fled to the Dominican Republic. “It seemed like the case to get the guy that killed my cousin had stopped, so Senator Charles Schumer took an interest in the case and flew down to meet the President of the Dominican Republic to request extradition. Unfortunately word got around and the suspect then fled to Belgium. With the assistance of Senator Schumer, Interpol tracked down the suspect and he was later brought back to face justice. From that point on, I understood that government is, and should always be, a force for good.”

Assemblymember Pichardo's start in public service began as an intern for Senator Schumer, and eventually became the Community Outreach Coordinator/Latino Liaison. After taking a position at Mercy College, Pichardo discovered that public service was a better fit, and took a job as the Director of Community Affairs for New York State Senator Gustavo Rivera. In this position he saw the severity of health disparities faced by Bronx residents. “I have heard residents tell me, ‘My daughter is suffering from asthma, and I still have to wait three months to get an appointment,’ while others have confided that they are unable to get affordable cancer screenings and the only time they can get them is when a community health fair has them for free. But now with the Affordable Healthcare Act in place, health care must be provided to communities of all sizes, regardless of geographic and socio economic status, and individuals should receive the same equity of care in a timely matter.”

With the Bronx being ranked 62 out of 62 counties by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, Assemblyman Pichardo would like to turn around the negative stereotypes most people have about the Bronx. “It should not matter which zip code you were born in, you should be given and afforded the same resources and opportunities as anybody else in terms of jobs, housing, and education. Take the recent incidents of police brutality, which I feel has spiked in the last few years. Government has a responsibility to make sure that a young man of color, regardless of the neighborhood he lives in, be it the Bronx, Staten Island, Louisiana, or Minnesota, should be able to safely walk in his community, and not lose his life for an unfathomable reason.”

He adds, “People who feel more job and housing secure tend to be healthier overall, and their health outcomes tend to be better. We need to create sustainable safe communities with residents having gainful employment and affordable/stable housing. When that happens your mind is focused on taking care of your health, and the health of your family. The flipside is that being stressed out on things like a paycheck that won’t pay the rent and buy sufficient food, much less healthy food negatively affects ones health.”

Last April, when Bronx Health REACH held the #Not62 – The Campaign for A Healthy Bronx! Town Hall, the Assemblyman spoke to attendees after having spent an all-night legislative session in Albany to finalize the budget. He shared with the audience what he and the other Assembly members had been fighting for - a $15 minimum wage in New York State. “That $15 minimum wage means there is more money in the community for residents to purchase healthy fruits and vegetables, which means healthier outcomes, and that would be one of the first steps we can take to move from worst to the best, so the Bronx is no longer 62 out of 62.”

Bronx Health REACH District 9 Physical Activity & Education Assessment

This small enclosure at a Bronx public school is considered to be an acceptable space for physical fitness.

Physical activity has been shown to have innumerable benefits. Exercise has been shown to improve student focus on school tasks and raise performance scores. It is also known that physical activity lowers the risk of childhood obesity and other chronic diseases which enables students to develop habits for a healthier adulthood.

Often, due to limited resources (e.g. funding, staffing, time, and physical space) many city schools are not able to meet student physical activity and physical education needs. According to the New York City Comptroller report, “Dropping the Ball: Disparities in Physical Education in New York City Schools,” over 32 percent of NYC schools lack a full-time, certified PE instructor. What’s more, 28 percent of schools lack a designated space for physical fitness.

To better understand student access to physical activity in the Bronx, Bronx Health REACH has been assessing physical activity and physical education in District 9. Each of the thirty-one public elementary schools in the district were surveyed to determine what space each school has for indoor and outdoor physical activity and physical education; and the quantity of PE the students were receiving. Each school principal was contacted by phone, email, and in person to complete the surveys.

The findings, to date, reveal that 75% of the schools surveyed have an indoor gymnasium space, and 17% of the schools surveyed lack a fully functioning playground. Disturbingly, only 8% of the schools are meeting the weekly physical education recommendation of 120 minutes for K through 12 students. The final findings of the assessment will be reported widely to staff, parents and students of District 9, as well as with community members and leaders. Bronx Health REACH will present the findings to the District 9 Community Education Council in September. As part of the report, Bronx Health REACH will propose solutions to improve those spaces with Active Design and broader policy recommendations.

In response to the initial findings of the assessment and to begin addressing the deficiencies, Bronx Health REACH is partnering with Grant Avenue Elementary School on their current Active Design Project to create a more engaging play yard. Grant Avenue Elementary School is a co-located school sharing the space with a middle school and high school. At present the outdoor space is a barren, narrow strip of concrete, and even more disturbing to the students and parents, the school’s play yard faces a fully-functioning playground of the neighboring school. Students and staff at Grant Avenue Elementary School have developed a creative solution to their small space - an imagination playground, which features movable pieces (“big blue blocks”) that allow for more dynamic and creative play compared to the fixed structures of a typical playground. Grant Avenue Elementary School’s imagination playground should be ready for students by this fall.