Weekly action items and updates from GHC #FairShare4Harlem
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| STRIVING FOR A HARLEM WHERE ALL PEOPLE CAN THRIVE
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| NYS ASSEMBLY RACE FORUMS
The Central and East Harlem Seats Are Up For Grabs
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| The race is on for New York State Assembly with the Democratic primary coming in June. The Greater Harlem Coalition will be hosting two forums, one for East Harlem (the 68th District) on Tuesday, April 30th, and another for Central Harlem (the 70th District) on Wednesday, May, 1st. Both New York State Assembly Candidates' Forums will be held at 7:00 PM |
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| CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS A Call for Community Harm Reduction |
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| An East Harlem mother - whose child attends the ABC School on East 126th Street - has opened up about the harrowing experience of walking her daughter to school in the wake of OnPoint supervised injection center's establishment in 2021. Francesca Barreiro, disturbed by the visible impact on her community, described encountering drug addicts sprawled on the streets and needles scattered around, as she navigates the neighborhood to drop off her young child at ABC's Graham School. Barreiro, once accustomed to a relatively safe environment, voiced her distress, stating:
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| "People would be there, either drugged up or trying to get some drugs. It gives you anxiety just as a person going through and as a mom with little ones, I have to hold my kids and grab them tight." |
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| Barreiro firmly believes that the center's proximity to the school is exacerbating safety concerns for the children and their families.
In a video capturing the daily ordeal, Barreiro can be seen pushing her daughter in a pram amidst a stream of drug users entering and exiting the OnPoint facility. Some individuals appear incapacitated on the pavement, while others engage in erratic behavior. Barreiro, navigating the area on high alert, often conceals scenes from her daughter by lowering the hood on the pram. Expressing concern for her child's well-being, Barreiro stated: "Our babies are in there."
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| She claimed that the school has ceased outdoor activities due to the neighborhood's transformation, citing the presence of numerous addicts around the OnPoint center |
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| Barreiro's children have reportedly encountered used needles on the sidewalks and witnessed distressing scenes, prompting them to question why some individuals appear as if they are "zombies." Dissatisfied with OnPoint's approach to aiding drug addicts, Barreiro advocates for the relocation of the safe injection site away from schools.
Despite OnPoint reporting that 4,216 individuals have used their Manhattan centers over 106,000 times since their opening two years ago, Barreiro, drawing from personal experience with her mother's addiction, remains unconvinced of the effectiveness of their methods. She argues that the safe injection sites should either shut down or be relocated to areas away from schools, parks, and early Head Start programs. Barreiro remains resolute in her belief that the current approach is insufficient and insists on a safer environment for the community's children. |
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| RIPPLE EFFECTS Nearly Half of America is Impacted |
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| A new study from the RAND Corporation published in the American Journal of Public Health reveals that 42% of adults (125 million people) know someone who died from an overdose. This number is even higher in communities like Harlem with high overdose rates and generations of addiction and mental health treatment neglect.
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| The study also highlights the impact that overdose deaths have on those left behind. Millions of Americans have been left without proper mental and physical health support.
Researchers call for increased focus on community support - assisting individuals affected by overdose deaths, and going beyond efforts solely aimed at people at risk of overdosing. |
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| 40 million Americans have had short-term to lasting impacts on their mental or physical health tied to grieving an overdose death. Twelve million of those adults continue to mourn their loss with little support, often in isolation, study authors said. |
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