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Phone Banking with the ACLU

Phone banking during election season is a battleground of frustration and enlightenment. But doing so the last stretch of the weekend before the 2018 midterm elections can be a matter of life or death. It’s not easy to get up on a Saturday morning to phone bank for the American Civil Liberties Union at The Standard Hotel’s Narcbar.

The little luxury coffee-shop style bar was filled with people of all ages. Some of which who were first timers and some who have been veterans. College aged students anxiously re-read their scripts again and again in their booths to make sure that they weren’t going to stumble their words. Old men with new laptops recounted their first phone bank about 30 years ago. Middle aged women were blistering with confidence and embracing other volunteers who they have worked with in the past, asking how they have been, and what other canvassing jobs they were doing this past election season. While the bustle is going on, several volunteers ask for a cocktail from the bar or a cup of coffee to relax before asking strangers about their state legislation.

“So, are you sure you are registered to vote?” asked one woman volunteer to the bartender.

“Yeah, but somehow I’m registered for both Massachusetts and New York,” she said while the woman was frantically searching for her voter registration status online. It turns out she was in fact only registered for New York.

These civically engaged citizens are the forefront in the effort of making Virginia voters aware of Amendment 1 on their state ballot, which may restrict a woman’s right to abortion and gives leeway for politicians to pass more laws that are restrictive and puts a woman’s life in danger.

“We just want to give voters the last final push to say no on this amendment,” said ACLU organizer and Standard Hotel employee Caitlin McConnell. Pushing against the terrors of the current administration and even at state levels, the ACLU fights these unjust causes with the help of the average citizen sacrificing a couple hours of their time.

As an hour goes past, volunteers across the whole bar are glued to their laptops reading the provided script and calling Virginia voters through the phoning service Hubdialer. Volunteers flew by some of the calls with the average call being around 30 seconds and being constantly rejected.

Many of the Virginia constituents become frustrated at the first phrase of a phone banker. After a very unsuccessful call, one volunteer expressed at the corner of the bar, “I just got off the phone with a man who said, ‘I don’t want to talk about politics with a stranger. Bye.’”

Despite these negative interactions, there are some eager voters who want to challenge the Amendment. A woman volunteer matched with a voter named Christopher who was too enthusiastic about voting no. He rambled for 5 minutes about how the administration is failing and commended the volunteer for taking the time to call him. Before reading the script and saying her last remarks, she thanked him, “I’m going to think about you when I go to the polls, Christopher.”

No Sleep ‘Till Midterms

ASTORIA DISPATCH

Astoria, Queens — On the bustling street corner of Ditmars Boulevard and 31st Street, one young woman stands out among the crowd. 26-year-old, Hind Sophia, is spotted wearing a bright blue “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez” t-shirt. Running on just a few hours of sleep, she still manages to flash a bright smile and hold a rambunctious puppy in her arms.

The pre-med, New York University alum, has taken to the streets to head the Ocasio campaign. “She’s only 28!” Hind tells of Ocasio’s success. “She’s barely older than me. And she’s going to be elected to serve in Congress.”

When Hind is not working on the Ocasio campaign, she works in a cancer research lab. “My parents wanted me to be a doctor,” she said. “Doctors help individuals. I went into research because I wanted to help a larger group of people.”

Hind got her start in the political world during Obama’s presidential campaign when she bravely canvassed door-to-door in her home state of Pennsylvania. Hind says her goal “is to work in Public Policy because that helps the largest group of people of all.”

On the gloomy Friday morning leading up to the election, Hind came prepared. Her canvas bag was overflowing with Ocasio posters, fliers, and pins in both English and Spanish.

Hundreds of people pass by, many keeping their heads down and headphones in, some refusing to even acknowledge her presence. But Hind stood on that corner, unwavering, with a smile on her face and a flyer in her hand. “It’s exhausting,” she said. “But the one person who does stop, makes this worth it.”

A mother pushing her son in a stroller stopped to tell Hind about her family traditions. “We love voting days,” she said. “Our whole family goes to vote, and then we celebrate with burgers.”

Some passerbyers, on the other hand, are not so friendly with their approach. “Communist!” A white, middle-aged man yelled to Hind from across the street. Still, the smile on her face remains. She took a deep breath, and prepared for battle. The two of them talked for quite some time before shaking hands and going their separate ways. “We need people to vote. That’s first and foremost. Who they choose to vote for comes second and I’m glad he’s voting.”  She let out a heavy sigh, exhausted from hours of rejection, and then announced, “I need to refuel. Let’s grab some coffee.”

A now fully-caffeinated Hind once again took to the streets to canvass for Ocasio, this time visiting shops and restaurants along 31st Street, asking owners and managers to put up Ocasio posters in windows. Once again, Hind was met with more “no’s” then “yes’,” but nevertheless, the smile did not leave her face. She trudged on, stopping at nothing to find the one store that would agree to put her poster in the window. “Look it’s my poster!” she exclaimed as she passed by an Ocasio poster hanging outside of a Liquor store.

“I am Muslim. I am a woman. And I represent America.” Hind says. “This is why I’m out here. I am the future.”

Election Day November 2018

“Well I vote for every election cycle but today felt especially important with the energy, and social media and the news…. I hope to see the largest voter turnout for a midterm election, especially for the youth.” – Dustin, 27, graphic designer, Lower East Side. 

Bronx Native Makes Marathons His Life

Will Willard

At 6 a.m. almost daily for six years, Sean Baez, 37-year-old Bronx native and marathon runner has grabbed a pair of running shoes from his collection and trained. He enjoys running shirtless through shady parks like Orchard Beach to show off his stomach tattoo; his name in flaming graffiti font. However, his favorite place to test his mettle is on the street where he takes pleasure in out-racing traffic.

People in his neighborhood have come to recognize him. Baez says he loves running helps him interact with people like the man and his dog who tried to keep up with him or the little boy who yelled out, “Daddy look! He’s so fast!”

In order to squeeze in more miles throughout the week, Baez turns his daily commute from the Bronx to Manhattan into training and, “another opportunity for growth.”

Baez often runs with the Brooklyn Track Club. “I wanted to push my limits, push my speed, but also hang out with people who have similar interests to keep me focused,” he said. Baez works around New York as a beer salesman.

In 2002 he joined the Bridge Runner Club to ensure, as he says, that he keep ‘going the distance’. Together he and his fellow club members have travelled to cities like Chicago and Atlanta all in the name of running bridges. Baez says he enjoyed the experience, but found constant travel exhausting.

Baez’s commitment to a runner’s lifestyle is not without sacrifice. First and foremost, he has had to withhold from the array of Hispanic-food classics his mother pushes on him. And of course a runner has no time for late nights out with friends.

Baez says his sense of self-discipline was instilled back in 1999 while serving in the US Army. Baez and his squad were made to run five miles every day and although he hated every step, he put his head down and kept at it.

Today, Baez has learned the importance of mental toughness especially in long distance. “A marathon is a different beast—you’re thinking more, your body is telling you to stop, your mind has to be stronger,” he said. “If I have to be tired, I’ll be tired.”

There’s always another marathon and he plans to work harder for next time, but for this marathon Sunday at least he can finally fill up on his mother’s pork tacos.

Baez had hoped to get a time under three hours for the marathon instead his time was 3:33:29. He says that he is completely happy with the time although he blames himself. “I didn’t train for the pace I was going. After mile 17 it was all downhill.”

Baez says that all he can do is start again and work harder for next time, but for the time being he can finally fill up on his mother’s pork tacos.

Seeing the World Through Marathons

“I was not about to be a jock,” said Scott Chow, about resisting his parents efforts to join a high school team sport. Originally drawn to the ultimate frisbee, Chow decided to join the track team to condition, deciding to pursue long distance.

And he’s never looked back. Six years later Chow, 20,  ran a time of 2:52:19 in Sunday’s TCS New York City Marathon. Chow is a Computer Science Major at the University of California Santa Barbara

Chow, who wants to see the world through running, has a goal to run the six major world marathons: Tokyo, Berlin, Chicago, Boston, London, and New York City. So far he has run the Boston Marathon and the Los Angeles Marathon twice.

At his high school in a San Francisco suburb, he was hooked on running from the first day.  “I was absolutely enthralled with it, it was addictive.” said Chow. He was obsessed with the feeling of accomplishment after a run and with watching his time drop.

However he cautions against chasing faster and faster times.“People who usually chase the time don’t last as long because they tend to hit a plateau and lose interest or get injured” Chow said.

Boston was a hard race for Chow. “I absolutely exploded, I broke on heartbreak hill,” Chow said. Heartbreak hill is a series of hills between miles 17-21 and it breaks a lot of people. He remembers thinking in the moment that he couldn’t go any more and began to walk. “It still haunts me.” said Chow.

His goal is never to simply to finish a race but to excel. Boston tested that, “I was just telling myself, I have put way too much into this, I have done way too much work, spent too much money, too much time, blood, sweat and tears to get to this point and not finish.” said Chow.

Chow finished Boston with a time of 3:16:32.

Chow starts his morning off with a run, getting up at around eight a.m to run before morning classes. He feels that it allows him to pay his health dues for the day so to speak, and then he can do what he wants, eat what he wants, for the rest of the day. Running in the morning makes everything else seem like small potatoes, Chow said.

Chow begins training for a marathon around 20 weeks before. There is the daily mileage which is to build up aerobic and anaerobic resiliency as well as resiliency One day a week is the long run which is to build endurance, usually  from 20-24 miles. 

People always tell him that 26.2 miles is an intimidating number, he doesn’t see it that way when put in perspective. “It’s hard but when you think of the 800-900 miles you run before that, 26.2 is a victory lap.” Chow said.

What drives him is the question of how far can he take his passion. “I think I’ve only scratched the surface of what I can do.” Chow said

Hundreds gather in the Bronx to celebrate Native American culture

Bobby Gonzalez (right)

For Bobby Gonzalez, embracing his Taíno heritage means preserving a part of the past often forgotten by many. For over twenty years, the Bronx native has been hosting and organizing Native American pow wows, including the Bronx Native American Festival, in the hopes of reconnecting people to their indigenous roots.

This year, hundreds gathered at Pelham Bay Park to honor and experience the vibrant spirit of the tribes that first traversed this land.

Listen to the story here:

Bronx Native American Festival 2018

“Why I Didn’t Report” rally gathers women (and men) to political and social issues

Adrianne Wright is the co-Founder of women’s action group called I Will Not Be Quiet. Wright aims to create an intimate and sacred place for women to discuss the current political and social justice issues. Wright held a rally with the group on Mon., Oct. 1 called #WHYIDIDNTREPORTIT.

Adrianne Wright, on the right, met with the co-founder of I Will Not Be Quiet, Chelsea Schuster, at Washington Square Park to set up their talking circle on Oct. 1.

Wright co-founded the women’s action group with Schuster in Brooklyn, N.Y. “I wanted to create an intimate and sacred place for women to learn political and social justice issues,” Wright said and continued, “And discuss the challenges or experiences they’ve had, without apology or interruption.”

The rally began with chanting “I will not be quiet” with the crowd and “It’s not your fault, we believe you.” The rally also included readings of anonymous accounts from women who experienced sexual misconduct and assault. Wright hopes that the group will help women feel empowered by the knowledge that they have.

Wright met up with two other women who had volunteered to share their own experiences with sexual abuse. Wright believes that most important thing about hosting a talking circle is to have an open and supportive discussion. Attendees were encouraged to step up and share their own experiences if, they felt comfortable enough to do so. By openly discussing past experiences, Wright wanted to demand belief in these accounts. “We are demanding to be believed,” Wright said and continued, “So that when we do report it, they do support it.”

A crowd began to form around Wright as she recounted the details of how she was raped at 16-years-old. Wright explained that she had been knocked unconscious by her attacker in the lobby of a hotel she was staying at. Wright was then raped by her attacker and another man. “I’m angry that I reported it and they [police officers] distorted it,” Wright said and continued, “They didn’t believe me.”

Wright, Schuster and a rally volunteer began a group reading when a passerby interrupted them to say, “But what about the nice men? Not all men are bad. You can’t say all men behave like this.” In order to maintain the flow of the demonstration, Wright had asked him to keep all questions for the end of the rally. The man proceeded to move to back of the crowd and then walk away.

16th Annual Autumn Moon Festival

Mott Street bustled with lion dances, a parading dragon, and traditional performers to celebrate the mid-autumn harvest season and reap good luck and prosperity. Better Chinatown USA, a volunteer-based organization, hosted the event.

Chinatown, NYC

The Third Annual Feast of San Gennaro Meatball Eating Contest

The third annual meatball eating contest took place at the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy. The event was held in memory of Johnny ‘Cha Cha’ Ciarcia, who appeared in movies like “Goodfellas” and the HBO show “The Sopranos.” Ciarcia was also known by many in the community as “the Mayor of Little Italy.” Dramatic Opera singing and messy meatball eating came together to make this an event to remember.

A Guide to Veganism in NYC

No meat. No dairy. No guilt.

​Vegan diets are on the rise, and for good reason. Whether it’s for health, the planet, or simply for ethical reasons, consuming an all plant-based diet can reap numerous benefits, as studies have shown. Despite its reputation of being bland, boring and expensive, when done right, vegan diets can actually be good: good for you, good for the Earth, and even good for your wallet. If you’re thinking of going vegan and need tips on different foods to eat and restaurants to try, or simply don’t know where to begin, this guide has you covered.

​Izzy Perez

Meet Izzy Perez, an NYU student and proud vegan. After doing a week-long juice cleanse, Perez realized that veganism started to look not only easy, but desirable — especially considering that she was already vegetarian. She loves taking trips to the Union Square Farmer’s Market for local, organic produce, and looks out for street vendors who sell ripe fruit at a fraction of the cost at other stores. Still, she also shops at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s for other vegan finds. Watch the video to learn more about her life as a vegan.

What Should I Even Include In My Diet?

People can be hesitant to go vegan due to worries about a lack of flavor and a lack of nutrients. American diets have grown so meat-centric that this concern is somewhat understandable — but by incorporating these foods into your diet, you’ll have nothing to worry about.

Non-Vegan Food: Transformed

The transition isn’t always so easy and quick for everyone. Think you love your animal-centric meals too much to give up? In a way, you don’t have to. Most non-vegan meals can be transformed into 100% plant-based versions. Here are a few of them.

Burgers:

With brands like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, vegan burgers taste almost exactly like their cow-meat rivals — sans cruelty. The Impossible Burger even emits 87% less greenhouse gases than cows, according to their website. Many restaurants are starting to incorporate Impossible burgers in their menus, like BareBurger, but you can make your own with this veggie burger recipe.

Spaghetti Bolognese:

Arrabbiata, alla vodka, pomodoro — the meatless pasta options are almost endless, but if you’re a bolognese fanatic, you’re not out of luck. Ground veggies, like mushrooms, are excellent substitutes to ground beef; this recipe from Delicious Everyday is a testament to that. Worried about not packing in enough protein? Pastas from Eat Banza, made from chickpeas, come in at around 20 grams per serving, and can be found in most major grocery stores, like Whole Foods, Morton Williams or Trader Joe’s.

Sushi:

Seafood may be nutritious, but with all the pollutants destroying our oceans, along with their high mercury levels, sushi can be a hazard. Eliminate the risk while still savoring the taste with vegan sushi. The possibilities are endless, and it’s also super easy to make. Craving a spicy vegan scallop roll? Or want to embrace, not mask, the veggie lifestyle and go for a tempura sweet potato roll? Have one then — and with equal amounts of satisfaction.

Chicken Caesar Salad:

Salads are certainly not uncommon in vegan diets, but caesar salads, with their mayo-based dressing and common pairing with chicken, may be. Savor the flavor, but ditch the animal products with vegan caesar salad! Dressings are usually made with ground nuts, mustard, lemon and other ingredients, like this recipe. Substitute chicken with tempeh or tofu for added protein.

Nachos

Some find that abandoning meat can be harder than abandoning dairy, but for others it can be the exact opposite. Cheese, especially when melted, may be flavorful, but it’s oftentimes packed with saturated fat, which, in high amounts, can seriously harm your health. Thankfully, for all the cheese-lovers out there, vegan cheese does exist, and it’s just as tasty. Load it atop of chips and let it melt, just as this recipe from Serious Eats does, for a plant-based spin on a classic, fatty, junk-food dish.

NYC’s Best Vegan Eats

If you’re not much of a chef, New York City’s restaurant scene will always have your back — even when you’re vegan. These restaurants are guaranteed to satisfy and nourish.

Link to my site: https://celinakhorma.wixsite.com/my-website/vegan-portfolio

For the “Non-Vegan Food: Transformed” and “NYC’s Best Vegan Eats” section, I intended to include interactive media as shown on my website. However, due to a security issue/error, the codes do not embed on this post, so I was advised to just include a link to my website. Thanks!