On Earth Day, Assemblymember Chantel Jackson and a coalition of Bronx officials kicked off a weeklong series of community cleanups across District 79, drawing nearly 30 volunteers to Concourse Village and setting the stage for additional efforts in Morrisania and Melrose.
Earth Day was first recognized on April 22, 1970, focusing on raising awareness for environmental protection and calling for political action to address the issues affecting the environment.
Assemblywoman Chantel Jackson partnered with the offices of Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Congressman Ritchie Torres, Senator José M. Serrano, Senator Luis Sepúlveda, Council Members Althea Stevens, Oswald Feliz and Justin Sanchez.
Crystal Diaz, the constituent services director for Chantel Jackson, told the Bronx Times that community support made the planning of this event faster.
“The turnout today turned out pretty well. I was a little skeptical at first because of the weather, but I’m grateful that we had the support of our senator’s office, of our council member, Althea Stevens, with bringing out their cleaning crew,” Diaz said. “And then our high school, Mott Haven [Educational] Campus, and our TA President Tanya Pedler and her colleagues.”
The volunteers cleaned Concourse Village East to West and from 153rd Park Ave. to 161st Street.
“The purpose of this event is to keep the community clean, remind folks that the way you treat your house is how you should treat the streets,” Diaz said.
The collected garbage was placed in bags and will be collected by the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY).
June Soto works as the director of community affairs for Senator José Serrano and attended the event on behalf of his office.
“[Senator Serrano] is a huge champion for environmental justice and he really takes Earth Day seriously,” Soto said. “And so we try our best to partner with other elected officials and community leaders to do our part and clean up when we can, or help bring more information about being clean or recycling – things like that.”
Soto said that their office has a very close relationship with Assemblymember Jackson’s office and is always looking for ways to collaborate to help out the community.
Also, Soto mentioned an Earth Day Celebration for children in grades K-12 to become more aware about Earth Day and protecting the environment. All students in New York State can submit an original poem, essay or artwork highlighting this year’s theme by April 30.
Lisa Delancey works at Banana Kelly and learned about the event because she previously worked with Chantel Jackson’s office to secure funding for paid youth opportunities to clean up the South Bronx during the summer.
“I came to her again this year to ask if she would be willing to fund us again, so I had to do a one-pager,” Delancey said. “And then [her office] told me that they were having a cleanup for three days, so I decided to come out with a couple of my people.”
Delancey told the Bronx Times that she wants youth to have more access to opportunities so that they can have positive influences and connect with each other.
“Let the youth talk to the youth, put a pilot program where you got the youth going around in spaces and talking,” Delancey said.
Alana Sparrow, chief executive director of Sparrow In Arms Inc., attended the event with some of her peer specialists to be a part of the solution.
“I try to be a pillar of my community. We’re out here to get the area clean. We don’t have to be products of our environment,” Sparrow said. “And we want to show that the community is here and we want to take care of the Bronx, and be representation of the Bronx.”
Reach Keke Grant-Floyd at kekegfreports@gmail.com. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
