Its important to keep the ideas Bernie Sanders campaigned on in mind and understand that its not just the president that matters, but all of Congress and your local leaders as well. Keep the movement going, even if Bernie is not at the top of the ticket. Fill Congress and local offices with people who believe in the same things you do and we can see positive change.
The Importance of Housing and Community
A different aspect of our times most people seem to overlook. It's important to embrace aspects of development but know when to push back. My one point of difference with this article below comes down to arguing that more housing in Harlem is needed, but I agree it should be rent controlled and affordable to the average resident. Protect historical sites, but know that not every building needs to be saved. Will Harlem always remain an African American majority neighborhood? Probably not. But it shouldn't change because of rising prices and the removal of cultural icons. It should change through embracing diversity and integration of cultures in an organic way.
A Protest... Finally
Its refreshing to see elected officials finally standing up for what they believe in and look to curb this national epidemic of gun violence. Will the bills they want to take up solve all of the problems? Not even close, but any progress is worthwhile right now. We've stood still for too long with bogus straw man arguments.
We have to go beyond these public displays and keep the conversation going. The NRA is focused on this issue everyday, not just after a mass shooting. Its about time the public has the same focus on this issue. Maybe this time will be different than all the others, at least one can hope.
We Are Orlando
It's really taken a day to process the events of this past weekend. I was at work as all of this was happening, so naturally working in news it was everywhere. I immediately thought of the people I know around the area and hoped they were far from the scene, which luckily they were. And watching and listening to the people looking for their loved ones. This woman stuck out to me with her pleas for answers and just wanting to be with her son, knowing that his boyfriend was already dead.
Nothing I could write would eloquently describe this woman's pain, or the pain of all of those who lost someone, or the horrors these people saw that night when all they wanted was a night out with friends, to be themselves in a safe place.
I know this has instantly become a politicized event in many ways, with gun control and LGBT rights, but for now I won't dive into that. For now it's time to support those who have lost someone and show love.
Research
I've found a mini passion project it seems, and we'll see if anything comes from it.
It all boils down to one word: Traffic. Now that doesn't seem like a sexy subject by any means, but its something that I think we need to be more aware of, not just upset about. This isn't about alleviating traffic jams, but instead using traffic to create communities built for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users.
This may seem silly, or even boring, to some. Coming from Syracuse and having lived throughout Upstate New York, its become clear that the biggest issue in the region is the flow of wealthy individuals out of the cities and into the suburbs. That problem is well documented so there's no point in reiterating the point. The important and less focused upon topic is how traffic can become a solution to this white flight.
I won't spend this post writing all that I've learned over the past couple months, but instead I'll be researching further and hopefully, once I have a sound enough footing on the facts and figures, begin reaching out to professionals in that business. My hope is to craft a short documentary on the subject, highlighting past mistakes and bringing to light some solutions that may help revitalize Upstate cities. This has definitely become a passion of mine and I would be thrilled to create something that may be able to persuade these cities that I love to take a few risks. We'll see what comes of it, but even if the project goes nowhere, I hope to at least encourage others to begin focusing on these issues and do what they can to improve their own communities.