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Opinion

Taking Aim at Gun Violence: We Need Action from All 3 Levels of Government


At the scene of a subway shooting (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)


Like all New Yorkers, I was shocked and horrified by the recent subway shooting. 

Gun violence in New York City has skyrocketed over the past two years. Reported crime citywide has increased by 41% since the beginning of the year over the same period last year. Shootings increased by 31.6% in January alone. Attacks on city subways have gone up as well, with felony assaults in the subway rising by 25% since 2019. These crimes have a particularly destructive impact on the social fabric, leaving many residents and commuters shaken and afraid to use public transit. 

While New York City remains far safer than during the peak-crime years following the fiscal crisis, the escalating gun violence demands swift and immediate action from all levels of government.

First, Congress: the subway attack illustrates the tragic consequences of Congress’ utter failure to enact reasonable protections against the misuse of deadly weapons. 

The alleged subway shooter, Frank James, reportedly purchased the semiautomatic handgun used in the attack secondhand at a pawn shop in Ohio. In fact, almost two-thirds of guns used in crimes in New York State are first purchased outside the state. The reason is obvious. New York has robust firearm laws that require gun purchasers to be licensed, and licensure is granted only after a thorough background check by law enforcement. Accordingly, most guns used in crimes here are brought into New York from other states – like Ohio – with more lax regulations.

In the 1990s, then-Representative Chuck Schumer took a big step toward shutting down the illegal flow of guns by leading the enactment of the Brady Law. I worked as counsel to Rep. Schumer at the time and helped draft the law. Brady was a simple but powerful concept. It required gun stores to perform a criminal background check on any prospective gun purchaser before completing a sale. 

Brady was highly effective at first, but over time gun traffickers found a loophole. Brady applies only to licensed gun dealers, not to so-called “private sales.” Unscrupulous gun traffickers discovered and exploited this loophole by selling – and buying – firearms at gun shows. Today, more than 50% of gun sales evade the background check requirement. It is far past time for Congress to close the gun show loophole by requiring background checks for gun show sales.

Congress should also adopt a national version of New York’s “red flag” law. In 2019, New York established a procedure for competent officials, such as teachers or police officers, to identify individuals exhibiting an inclination to harm themselves or others. I helped draft this law as New York’s Director of State Policy. These individuals may not purchase a firearm without further inquiry by a judge or law enforcement.

In light of Frank James’ numerous social media posts contemplating gun violence, it seems plausible that a nationwide red flag system, like New York’s, would have prevented him from purchasing a deadly weapon.

Finally, Congress must renew the Assault Weapons Ban, another law spearheaded by Rep. Schumer in the 1990s. The law sunsetted in 2004 and Congress has neglected to reinstate it. The law prohibited not only military-style semi-automatic rifles, but also large-capacity magazines which allow shooters to spray-fire dozens of bullets in a matter of seconds. James brought three such devices into the subway, carrying a total of 90 rounds of ammunition. These magazines would have been illegal if the Assault Weapons Ban were still in effect.

While Congress has the most work to do, New York State and City should also take action to reduce gun violence.

The New York City Police Department should collaborate with the State Police on gun trafficking investigations. Every single firearm used to commit violence in New York should be traced from its original purchase to its ultimate harmful use. In most cases, there will be an illegal sale along that path – and the trafficker should be prosecuted.

Both the State and the City should also invest more in violence interrupters and community mobilization, both proven prevention strategies. Too many young people feel the need to arm themselves precisely because they are acutely aware of the violence that surrounds them. Yet more guns lead only to an escalating cycle of violence. Education, and one-on-one work with individual at-risk young people, can break this cycle. We must change community norms to the point where the appearance of a gun is truly shocking – not just another Tuesday.

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David Yassky is a former New York City Council Member who is currently running for the State Senate in District 23, including parts of Brooklyn and Staten Island. On Twitter @Yassky4Senate.

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6 Ways You Can Keep New York City Green This Earth Day and Beyond


Get out to the park (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)


Many New Yorkers know that Friday, April 22 marks Earth Day 2022, but few know that this year’s celebration has a theme: Invest In Our Planet. Clearly, this city’s knack for financial investment is unparalleled, yet when it comes to investing in our planet’s future, we continue to lag behind major U.S. cities in key areas such as electric vehicle adoption. And while investments like Mayor Adams’ pledge of 1% of the city’s budget to the Parks Department are wonderful, they are only just the beginning.

Thankfully, you don’t have to be a policymaker, business leader, landowner, or even an adult to invest in New York City’s environmental future. In fact, all it takes to invest in our planet is educating yourself – and your family, friends and coworkers – about our natural surroundings and how to protect their beauty for generations to come. Living amidst a sea of concrete and glass, it’s easy to forget that the very basis of our city is harbors, islands, peninsulas, and coastlines, and we as New Yorkers are inextricably linked to our waterways and green spaces.

Through my nearly 20 years of teaching environmental science, and in my current role as Director of Education at City Parks Foundation, I've come to understand that to protect the city’s environment, we must understand it. It’s also clear that educating ourselves and our youth about New York City’s ecological systems, including the impact humankind has on its flora, fauna, and water systems, is critical if we hope to identify the source of climate change and address its root causes.

In the spirit of education and action, here are six quick and easy ways New Yorkers can reconnect with and protect their natural surroundings this Earth Day.

1. Advocate for reduced electric lighting at night in New York City.
This simple change would promote the health of all wildlife, but especially birds and pollinators, by reducing stress and boosting reproductivity. And by the way, less artificial light at night is better for human health too. In your own home, you can help by turning off exterior flood lights and closing curtains and blinds during bird migration season (late April through mid-May). On a broader scale, you can support this effort through Project Safe Flight.

2. Find a nearby garden or open green space and volunteer to steward it.
The best learning is through hands-on experience, and New York City’s green spaces need more volunteers. Plus, there's no better way to make new friends! If you’re looking for ways to dive in and take care of your favorite local park, you can join the It’s My Park community volunteer program and organize a neighborhood clean up. Alternatively, if you are looking to give back with your coworkers, City Parks Foundation also offers corporate volunteer projects during which you can transform our city’s parks and green spaces by planting, painting, weeding and raking – all while cultivating deeper team bonds. 

3. Learn the basic techniques for promoting wildlife health in your gardens, parks, and even household planters, such as Leave the Leaves.
The basis of any healthy environment is the presence of locally-evolved plants and beneficial insects. Many New Yorkers mistakenly throw away leaf litter and other debris during their Spring cleaning efforts, but most don’t realize that these materials are home to thousands of species of plant and insect life – including caterpillars, moths, and other critical insects. Research shows that urban centers can be meccas for plants and animals, and by avoiding these basic mistakes, we can make sure New York City is too!

4. Reduce your plastic consumption and food waste.
Look for products with reduced and non-plastic packaging. You can also help clean up your neighborhood to keep plastic waste out of our green spaces. Learn about local composting efforts and get involved

5. Get out and take advantage of the myriad ways to experience the natural world in New York City's parks and waterways. 
Did you know that New Yorkers have access to free rowing, kayaking, canoeing, and hiking in natural areas that are as pristine as any of our state and national parks? It's true! CityParks Learn's Coastal Classroom program offers rowing instruction to middle school youth in Coney Island. There’s also free programming to get outside and enjoy sports programming in New York City’s parks for free.

6. Support each other to find safe and joyful ways to get outdoors. 
Parks are for everyone, of every race, ethnicity, age, and identity. The more of us that get out and enjoy our parks and green spaces, the more advocacy and stewardship there will be to make them spaces we all enjoy. Getting involved – and urging your neighbors to do so as well – will help sustain our natural world for the next generation of all New Yorkers. 

Clearly, there is no shortage of actions we can all take to protect and enjoy New York City’s natural ecology, and this short list marks just the beginning. Earth Day marks the perfect time to recommit yourself to protecting the green spaces and nature in your community, but truly, the battle to make a difference for the environment should be a year-round effort. 

Throughout the year, City Parks Foundation offers education, sports, and arts programming to help thousands of New Yorkers – adults and children alike – reconnect with the city’s parks and open spaces. And by keeping the majority of these programs free, we are working to ensure that cost is never a barrier preventing New Yorkers from cultivating a relationship with their natural world. 

As New Yorkers, we know that New York City is one of the greatest cities in the world. This Earth Day, let’s keep it that way by taking steps to protect its iconic coastlines, green spaces, and wildlife.

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Chrissy Word is the Director of Education for City Parks Foundation, a leading nonprofit which runs programming in hundreds of parks, recreation centers and public schools across New York City. On Twitter @CPFNYC.

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New York City Must Help the Helpers: It’s Time to End Poverty-Level Human Services Worker Wages


Resource fair (photo: Benjamin Kanter/Mayoral Photo Office)


In my work at a community center, I frequently help people who are experiencing homelessness in New York City, and I did that even when I was homeless myself. I am a program director at O’dwyer Gardens Cornerstone, a NYCHA community center in Coney Island, Brooklyn. Many of my clients are under-housed or currently experiencing homelessness, and the work that I do is crucial for the wellbeing of all New Yorkers.

My center offers wraparound services that help our residents transition into greater financial stability, including access to workforce development, health care, youth services, and after-school education. Community centers offer intergenerational support to families to address many of the issues that result from systemic poverty. 

As you can imagine, this job involves many long hours, and was only made more difficult during the pandemic. While many people around the world transitioned to working from home in 2020 and 2021, remote work was not an option for many of New York’s human services workers, myself included. I risked my health every day while working in person and providing critical services during the darkest days of the pandemic. My clients needed my help more than ever during this tumultuous period, and this made my already demanding job even more stressful.

Despite working at this facility for four years, and having a role that involves supervising other employees, I do not make enough money to make ends meet. 95% of my paycheck goes towards my rent, which means that I have almost nothing leftover for other necessities like food, transportation, and medical care. New York City sets my rate of pay through government contracts, so my employer cannot pay me more unless the government decides to. I have already been priced out of the community where I work, and commute over two hours each way from the Bronx to Coney Island. I lived in Coney Island for over 20 years, and I love serving my community there. I want to be able to move back.

As recently as November of 2021, I found myself in the same situation as some of my clients. I was homeless. I did not qualify to live in the facility where I work. Meanwhile, the application process for affordable housing can take several years, and when I have applied–several times–I was denied because my income is too high, or never received a response at all. I also make too much money to qualify for food assistance programs, but not enough to actually afford food while also paying New York City’s sky-high rent. In this regard, many of my clients are better off than I am, despite my working full-time at a job that I love. 

Unless something changes soon, I could be facing homelessness again in the fall when my current lease is up, and I know some of my coworkers, including other managers, and many other New York human services workers are facing the same difficulties. My organization, like most human services nonprofits, is mostly funded through government contracts, and those contracts do not cover the actual cost of providing services and greatly undervalue the work that I do. My organization tries to fill the gaps, but they can only pay their employees more if the city increases wages on contracts. I am asking that Mayor Adams, City Council members, and our other elected officials help those who help our city so much. They must increase our government contracts so that the people who help those in need don’t find themselves in such dire need as well.

I love my job, and I love helping my community. However, in order to keep doing my job that is so essential to our city, I need to be paid a living wage. I am blessed to be given a platform to advocate for the people who are experiencing the same struggles that I am, but many of us don’t have the means or courage to speak out about it. New York City must pay my fellow human services workers a fair wage, so that we can continue to provide the services that the city and its people so desperately need.

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Brian Trezevant is a program director at a supportive housing site in Coney Island, Brooklyn.

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