Register for the Redistricting Hearing to KEEP JAMAICA "VILLAGE" INTACT!!!
Then work together to bring in Senior Centers, Day Care Centers, Community Centers for Families, Job Training and Career Preparation at York College, Talented Junior High graduate admission into Thomas Jefferson High School for Career Preparation Targeted Technical Training - for Students and Adults...EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES for an ECONOMICALLY THRIVING JAMAICA FOR US BY US.
Please read my Assessment of the "Jamaica Downtown Revitalization Initiative as part of the "Jamaica Regional Plan" as a Cultural Consultant - Community Scholar on the Frontline.
My interest in Local Economic Development went from redistricting and prevention of gerrymandering to Jamaica Regional Development. I found out that on July 12, 2017, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that Jamaica, Queens received $10 million for Downtown Revitalization. The research I conducted on this project found that in spite of the wonderful structural and technological improvements, high-speed broadband, restaurant development, hotels, “low” income new housing, murals and open spaces --- there was extremely little allocated for economic development of majority African American individuals and families in the greater Jamaica area.
Foreclosures indicate the amount of stress on community well-being...
A search for foreclosures and pre-foreclosures in Jamaica, Queens revealed that as of this day, (March 12, 2021) there were 376 pages of properties at 10 properties per page --- if there were no duplicate listings, the total is 3,760 --- a huge amount of families and children!
On the Real Side...
Total Jamaica Population 159,038 30% Families with children (3/2021) https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/n/jamaica-new-york-city-ny/
Education Levels
Master’s degree or higher 6%
Bachelor’s Degree or higher 15%
Some College or Associates 27%
High School or Equivalent 31%
TOTAL 79%
No HS/GED 21%
This tells us that 48% (almost half) of Jamaica adult residents have some college or Associates degree or higher. We need to activate strategies to resource our talent pool in "Revitalized Jamaica."
Even in consideration of the 2020 Quarantine, there are caveats and discrepancies in the available projected online economic "Revitalization" plans regarding job development beyond the mediocre and superficial.
December 6, 2016 Downtown Revitalization Initiative Planning Committee Minutes
Member: Pierina Ana Sanchez, Regional Plan Association suggested that they should consider issues related to displacement and gentrification and to ensure that the selected projects are for the benefit of both the existing and future communities.
Seth Bornstein, Queens Economic Development Corporation
Suggested that the project criteria should reflect the impact on the entire borough of Queens as well as the region. Really? What about the rest of Jamaica?
Public Comment Period:
Bryan D. White, Chairman Thomas White, Jr. Foundation
Recommended that the local community’s involvement be emphasized in the vision and development of the Action Plan. He suggested that an effort should be made to include Women’s Business Enterprise and Minority Business Enterprise businesses in the process.
Did this take place?
July 12, 2017 Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) Strategic Investment Plan
https://www.ny.gov/sites/ny.gov/files/atoms/files/Jamaica_DRI_Plan.pdf
Jamaica NOW Action Plan – Local Planning Committee
“a need to focus on job growth, job preparation, and job readiness...”
“the Core Downtown Study Area measures approximately 1 square mile.”
p. 14 “ Expand career opportunities and strengthen career pathways. DRI investments should ensure that revitalization benefits those currently living downtown by giving them skills they need to succeed in growing industries, and providing avenues for local entrepreneurs to build their businesses and create jobs.”
It appears that this goal pertains solely to residents in the “1 square mile Downtown Revitalization Initiative area” and does not include the Greater Jamaica Community. The area residents and local business owners along Hillside and Jamaica Avenues are owned mostly, by Indians, Bengalis, and other East Asian recent immigrants. Many of the customers in their stores are African-Caribbean American (we are all descendants of Kemet-Africa.)
Then, there is this to consider in the Jamaica NOW Action Plan:
Goal: Increase quality jobs and small business support: “The Plan seeks to drive economic growth by “connecting workers to high growth industries and quality employers, enhancing and expanding youth and adult training programs, and supporting existing businesses and [budding entrepreneurs]“
This takes us to the availability of credit for start-up capital for “budding entrepreneurs,” emerging businesses or the qualified workers who may be screened for employment in the high-growth industries and denied due to caste biases or non-preferential treatment.
Another Goal: Increase quality jobs: (2017-Is it still “in planning?”) Establish a working group with local workforce providers, employers, and local academic institutions to identify opportunities to provide stronger, industry-linked skills training and workforce development programs that align with the City’s Career Pathways framework.
The NYC Career Pathways programs, operated by ("Knee in Our Necks") Maximus, are dedicated to empowering you to succeed in the career of your choice. We offer a broad range of services to support your efforts, including access to vocational and educational trainings, internships, career coaching, job matching, life-skills coaching, self-assessments, and case management. NYC Career Pathways Programs are currently operating in Harlem, The Bronx and Staten Island.
Maximus Inc., trademarked as MAXIMUS, is an American outsourcing company that provides business process services to government health and human services agencies in the United States, Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. Maximus focuses on administering government-sponsored programs, such as Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), health care reform, welfare-to-work, Medicare, child support enforcement, and other government programs. The company is based in Reston, Virginia, has 34,300 employees and a reported annual revenue of $3.46 billion in fiscal year 2020.[1][2]
This funding for the delivery of services to outside vendors is the reason there are limited numbers of locally funded providers for social service programs that have local links to community realities or knowledge of neighborhood nuances. It also reinforces the requirement for professional certification of workers in non-profit organizations.
Our politicians are beginning to lose their regulatory functions of oversight of publicly funded services if there are no services to provide to their base constituents. The vendors have less of a legal obligation to protect voters from their unethical practices and the recipients go through a circular maze because the system is designed to satisfy only a small percentage of the people.
This lends credibility to the national outcry to, “Defund the Police” in order to redirect a portion of their multi-million dollar budgets to the non-profit provision of Local Mental Health Services.
Another concern rests with the potential protest activities that could take place by Greater Jamaica residents who were slighted and disregarded from inclusion in this plan. Reactions would or could involve police activity and emerge under the oversight of the Queens District Attorney, Melinda Katz.
Our "battle" is mental. Community Folks, stay off the streets - remain free of jail, prison, or detention camps as we Save-Our-Selves. Let's work together to bring about solutions for ourselves, our families and our communities. We will "Resource" with each other rather than "Outsourcing" our money to other ethnic groups.
Let's re-focus our attention on opportunities for talented Junior High School Graduate admission to Thomas Jefferson High School for career and technical education programs for Students and Adults..
Let's register for workforce development and strengthen career pathways, connecting workers to high-growth industries in Health Sciences, Health Care Industries, and Professional Programs at York College. The Hospitality Workforce Program would prepare Jamaica residents for potential employment in the hotel and restaurant industries.
Let's explore ways to open or expand businesses in Hollis, Cambria Heights, St. Albans, Queens Village, Rosedale, Laurelton, Jamaica, Rochdale, Springfield Gardens, South Ozone Park, and all points in-between!
Now let’s take a look at some Downtown Revitalization Initiative Project Evaluation checks…
1. How will you be assured that the proposed activities are executed as planned, within budget, and within the proposed time frame?
2. The Expanded Prime Skills Program operated by the Queens Economic Development Corporation appears to serve a maximum of 15 current and 30 newly funded residents in the South Jamaica and Baisley Projects to have operational businesses in the next two years.
In an overall population of 159,038 Jamaica residents? This is because they are only concerned about the 1 square mile Jamaica "Downtown" area. We will not accept this convoluted level of manipulation. To KNOW is to ACT...
Goals:
#1) Come or send a Representative to the New York State Independent Redistricting Hearing on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 at 2:00 PM York College. Pre-Register if you plan to testify.
Go to- https://www.nyirc.gov/participate
Thanks...
Verda H. Olayinka
OtuErelu@protonmail.com