lapsedmodernist | ATTENTION: DONATE YOUR PHOTOS OF NYC TO REVEREND BILLY'S CAMPAIGN FOR MAYOR

My friends

nikadubrovsky and Noel Bush and I are working on a project in support of Reverend Billy's campaign for Mayor of New York City called "New York With Reverend Billy." The final result will be a "doodle book"for children aged 5-10, featuring short bits of text describing Reverend Billy's vision for NYC, and filled with "starter drawings" of New York City scenes that the children will elaborate on, completing the drawings to make the city look as they imagine it should be. People will be able to download the book from Reverend Billy's campaign website for free, and it will be designed to grab the interest of parents and kids, and hopefully attract press attention.

What we need is source images of New York City to digitally convert into the initial doodles-silhouettes. Do you have photos you took of NYC that you want to donate for use to this project? They should be recognizable iconic images of the city (like the skyline or the bridges), and they should have plenty of "blank" space (like the sky or large areas between buildings) to leave room for children to draw their additions. If you want to contribute, email your photos to photosforrevbilly [at] gmail [dot] com.

What is Reverend Billy's platform?

As Mayor of New York, Reverend Billy Talen will continue the work he has done for more than a decade as a champion of local ingenuity and neighborhood know-how. United as he already is with the city’s many communities, his administration will be the connecting force reaching out to all New Yorkers, to create a city that is sustainable, just and free; defending public space, self-determination, and the right for every New Yorker to earn an honest, independent living.

Keep our Neighborhoods Viable and Vibrant, Healthy and Safe

VIABLE:

Instituting locally based, sustainable solutions that will not only see us through our current crisis but allow us to live in stable, viable communities for the long term. Thoughtful urban planning, managing growth, and preserving the local physical and built environment will be a priority.

A Green New Deal! The emerging green economy should be an engine for neighborhood job creation, harnessed to elicit bottom up solutions and entrepreneurial opportunities. We must also scale up the proposed retrofit programs, and meet the President’s targets for energy conservation and emission reductions.
Hail the Local Economies! We call for tax policies and retail zoning reforms that will protect, support and encourage local, community-owned businesses.
Protect The Stability Of Neighborhoods! We want to make rent affordable for working families and local businesses. All new developments must be community-driven and community-approved.
We want a sweat-free city! We call for the city of New York to commit to purchasing ethical, fair trade, union, sweatshop-free products and supplies for government use.
Let’s get New York City Moving! We want to get New Yorkers where they need and want to go with efficiency and ease by implementing free mass transit and congestion pricing. Such measures will help stimulate economic activity by allowing increased freedom of movement.

VIBRANT:

Promoting vibrant communities by improving education and expanding programs that enhance quality of life for everyone.

Education For All! Every school in every neighborhood must be fully and fairly funded. Local communities must be empowered to manage and direct resources to best serve the children of their neighborhoods. College tuition must be made affordable for all people with the talent and motivation to seek a higher education.
Arts and Culture Make New York City Great! Art, theater, and music programs should be supported and funded throughout the 500 neighborhoods, bringing people into the parks and into the streets. New York City’s museums should be made free to all residents, and its cultural institutions should support local community-based artists and community-based art projects.
Green the Commons! Parks and community gardens make our neighborhoods more livable. Parks must remain fully and permanently public. Parks in all neighborhoods must be funded and maintained properly. Community gardens and gardeners should be encouraged and supported. We want to see quiet green spaces in every corner of the city, for all the children of the city!

HEALTHY:

The right to health is the fundamental cornerstone of community. The thriving city must be healthy on all levels and in every neighborhood.

Detox New York! We believe that all communities and neighborhoods have the right to clean air and clean water. The city can no longer place threats to clean air and water solely in low-income communities of color.
Health is Wealth! All communities must have access to healthy, affordable food. We will establish and expand local food systems that support improved nutrition and public health by increasing access to safe and wholesome food in every neighborhood.
Protect the Watershed! We must develop a Strategic Natural Resource Plan for the city that addresses water quality for the long term, water conservation, waste water service, and energy consumption.

SAFE

Guaranteeing all New Yorkers in every neighborhood the right to walk down their streets without fear of harassment or violence regardless of race, creed, class, or sexual orientation.

Know Your Rights! We firmly believe that the First Amendment grants us the right to free speech, the right to express grievances, and the right to assemble in public space. We pledge to honor the 45 words of the First Amendment, and to defend those rights.
Community Policing Keeps Communities Safe! We call for: An end to racial profiling, an end to stop and frisk tactics, an end to the harassment of LGBTQ people, and establishing dialogue between police and the neighborhoods they patrol. We will foster working partnerships between communities and the NYPD to nurture mutual respect, identify concerns, and create community-based solutions, creating safe neighborhoods for all.
We are all Immigrants! Immigrants are the lifeblood of the New York City economy, and should be treated with dignity. We want an end to the roundups, and call for the immediate closing of all immigrant detention centers in New York City.