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Newsletter
Issue
#48 |
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All week long Sesame Flyers will be celebrating our 37th year anniversary online via our Facebook fundraiser! For the reminder of the month you will find clips and snippets of our rich Sesame heritage on this page as well as a look at some of our scholarship recipients and awardees! To join the fundraiser just follow this link here. We then look forward to you hopping online to view the Gala on Sunday June 28th at 8pm.
Please follow this link to RSVP
https://sfigala2020.eventbrite.com |
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We are in a generation-defining moment. Throughout the many days Sesame Flyers has seen over the course of 37 years, we have not seen or experienced days accelerating with momentum quite like this. These times call for increased leadership in the community. We understand people are looking for and need a clear understanding of what action agencies, like Sesame Flyers will take as we all continue to navigate the impacts of COVID-19 with a racial equity lens. We have begun reflecting and taking a deep look at where we have thrived, and directing a flashlight on the areas where we have failed. We will build on our strengths and tighten up on the areas where we can show up more effectively for the community. Sesame Flyers 3 Point Action Plan Developing Civic Leadership in Teens and Younger Youth Our young people want to take action like never before. They are out in the street making their voices heard, while some need a bit more direction. They want to be seen, heard and counted. We will begin leading workshops in social media and civics so they learn how to create lasting changes in their community for the benefit of their generation and the ones that will come after. Strengthening our partnership with My Brothers’ Keeper, Omega Phi Phi Fraternity and other national and international Youth development institutions making comprehensive and coordinated support services widely available. Economically Empowering Emerging Nonprofits and Initiatives There are many local organizations and initiatives with the potential to better serve our community that lack the knowledge and tools to navigate city contracting and procurement opportunities. We are looking to share our knowledge by providing virtual workshops with better use of technology and collaboration techniques, developing Partnerships with New York Urban League, Cause Effect, Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce all of which will expand our collective capacity. Creating Pathways for Long Term Community Health Improvement The current COVID-19 health crisis showed a disproportionate burden on Black communities and other communities of color. While health and nutrition disparities by race have been known for quite some time it is time we as a community do something about it. Education and engaging pathways for health will be presented to our community to participate and engage in developing partnerships with Caribbean Womens’ Health, Cure Violence, Heartsmarts.com and Universe City
Sesame Flyers has always known Black Lives Matter,
but we want to remind you that You Matter. Here is a gentle reminder
for our children that they matter. How YOU can take action! Sesame Networking Resource List
We have amazing talents and gifts right in our Sesame
Community. Let’s network with each other. Sesame Flyers is
developing a resource directory of business owners and people who
can provide other resources. To be added to the list please go
here. |
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Photo from left to Right Adults: Mrs. Pean Community school director for I S 68, Ms. Judy Newton Democrat for city council district 46 , Bildersee Beacon Director Yvanna Jack, State Senator Roxann Persaud, Merve Williams I S 68 principal and Sesame Staff Gilmore Thomas
Bildersee Beacon
Director Yvanna Jack teamed up with IS 68 Principal Merve Williams
and State Senator Persaud to provide free meals to the community at
Canarsie Community Reform Church. This is the fourth food
distribution which occurs every two weeks on the church grounds. |
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On Sunday June 14th
Sesame Flyers joined with “Caribbean Americans for Justice” along
with Recently reelected Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and other local
elected officials for a March and Rally for Criminal Justice Reform.
This event was held at Grand Army Plaza and attended by hundreds of
people. This event served as a call to action for the community to
make their voice heard and encourage everyone to complete the 2020
Census and become more involved civically. This event was filled
with passion, energy and life as only our community can be. Local
performers, singers, and poets set the stage with artistic calls for
justice. We were happy to see the overwhelming majority of people
respecting social distancing guidelines and wearing masks, and two
weeks after NYC can report no noticable uptick in COVID-19 cases
from protests. |
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With many arguing that some version of SYEP could take place and de Blasio saying it might be possible, Teens Take Charge also developed a proposal with HERE to HERE, ExpandED Schools, and dozens of SYEP providers on how to conduct a remote youth employment program. Their initiative, which they named the Youth Empowerment Summer, or YES, would combine public and private funding to provide 40,000 digital internships, with stipends ranging from $700 to $1,000, according to the proposal. They are looking to raise a total of almost $2.9 million in private investments and secure a little less than $50 million from the city in SYEP funding. The city projected to save about $124 million from cancelling SYEP, according to the executive budget de Blasio released in April. With the Black Lives Matter movement’s resurgence, members of the City Council and Public Advocate Williams have called to move $1 billion from the police department’s $6 billion annual budget to youth and social services in the new city budget. SYEP has positively impacted Black communities, advocates and elected officials point out -- last year, almost half of SYEP participants identified as Black, according to DYCD’s numbers, which means more than 30,000 Black youth received work, wages, and growth opportunities.
De Blasio promised in early June to work with the City Council to
move some funds from the NYPD towards youth and social services, but
did not provide a target amount or any other specifics, instead
saying he would be negotiating with the Council in crafting the new
city budget due by July 1. |
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Summer
is here. The first half of the year is now complete and what a year
2020 has been so far. We were all called to pause and re-center our
priorities by way of the pandemic and then just as we began to make
our way out, we were called to action for racial equality. We have
experienced tremendous loss over these past 6 months. We have lost
too many loved ones to count, summer camp programs, and summer youth
employment jobs, however I have also seen America and the entire
world come together in a generation defining moment. I am hopeful
and very optimistic about our future. The catharsis has begun and a
deep reckoning is underway. I encourage you to stay grounded. There
are a lot of changes happening all around us every day and it can be
overwhelming. Rest assured Sesame Flyers will remain and provide the
information and resources we all need to move through all these
changes with the power of community. 
Sesame
Flyers is working on an upcoming teen magazine this summer. If you
know any teen that might be interested in this project please email
