The Racial Justice Commission hosted a Block Party for
Racial Justice on Sunday in the Bronx.
The event was held in collaboration with local elected
officials, the city Department of
Transportation, NYC Small Business Services, and community organizations
to encourage voters to flip
the ballot and increase voter awareness.
"Many reasons why
block parties are fun but also they're very engaging. This block party here has
been going on for a few years and it's a staple in this community, so we
figured it's the best place to be to educate and inform New Yorkers and to
remind them to flip their ballots come November," said Joseph Rivera
of the NYC Racial Justice Commission.
Three questions will pop up on ballots when they vote in the
November election. The first proposal is to add a preamble, which will
introduce a statement of foundational values that would guide New York City’s
government. The second aims to improve racial equity by establishing a racial
equity office and the last proposal will aim to track the true cost of living
and essential needs in New York City.
Organizers say that the block party is one of the
many ways to bring the community together to have important conversations.