A beautiful night for some outdoor jazz last evening at Roosvelt Island's Nisi Kitchen.
Have a listen and enjoy.
Big Thank You to the musicians and singers from Island Krewe.
Charles Royster passed away suddenly on June 24, 2024 at 60 years of age. Mr Royster was a very important person to many in the Roosevelt Island community as a Counselor at the Roosevelt Island Youth Program (RIYP). Roosevelt Island resident Chris Montague reports:
Charles Royster, former program director for RIYP, sadly passed away a few weeks ago.Despite the contentious relationship between RIOC and the RIYP towards the end of its program, for many growing up on the island from the late 80s through the earlier years of the 2010s, Charles was one of the main reasons why the youth center felt like a safe and fun space for kids to come and form a community.
I, on behalf of Charles's many friends and loved ones here, have started a petition to hopefully convince RIOC to honor Charles's legacy by installing a commemorative plaque at the current iteration of the youth center.
Charles was very much a warm, paternal figure, like a father or favorite uncle. He made the center a fun, safe place for the youth of Roosevelt Island to come to as a community after school. He instilled many positive values within the program members, and was someone both children and their parents alike could trust to be there as a source of support, comfort, and guidance. For many of us, he was the face of the youth center, a superhero for many of us as exemplified in this photo of Charles.
He was dedicated to serving the youth of our community, and it feels only right that the community dedicate a memorial to him, so future generations of children who will never know what the center was like under his stewardship, will at least know of his legacy of compassion and dedication that made the center what it was for so many of us. It's a legacy that deserves to be remembered and honored, and a standard that sets the bar for what our expectations are for the center in regards to community building.
According to the Petition To Memorialize Charles Royster With A Plaque At Roosevelt Island Youth Program
If you've lived on Roosevelt Island longer than 10 years, chances are you either knew, or at least knew of, Charles Royster.To many of us, Charles was the face of the youth center and a pillar of our community. He gave so much to us through his role at the youth center, and touched many of our lives with positivity, with kindness, with care, and with selfless service.
The current administration of the Roosevelt Island Youth Program is not the same as it was when Charles worked there. It has since been folded into the purview of RIOC, who now manages it.
Some more involved with the politics of the RIYP of old will be aware that there was some bad blood between people at RIOC and the former director of the youth center. As such, RIOC may not be inclined to honor or memorialize anything connected to that rocky past.
But we as a community should make it known that we believe Mr. Royster's legacy transcends all of that, and he deserves to be remembered as an integral pillar in the organization of the Roosevelt Island Youth Program, regardless of who is currently running it.
So please, sign this petition and make your voice heard. Let RIOC know that we would very much appreciate that they do the right thing and honor the legacy of a man who meant so very much to so many of us.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION
Condolences to Mr Royster's family, friends and all who knew him.
NY State Senator Liz Krueger was on Roosevelt Island yesterday meeting with constituents and visiting the Senior Center, Food Pantry, Youth Center and Public library. Here she is speaking with members of the Carter Burden Roosevelt Island Older Adult Center right before lunch was being served.
Senator Krueger's Director of Constituent Services and Roosevelt Island resident Audrey Berman Tannen reports on the visit:
Liz had a full Day —she truly appreciated meeting so many Islanders -and learning about all the wonderful ways they work to benefit the community as well as just chatting and answering the questions and concerns that so many shared with her.She met with Lisa Fernandez and shared conversation with the older adults!She met with Mary Coleman
and Barbara Parker of RIDA, who opened up the Food Pantry for Liz to see! Since Liz started the Food Bank uptown —they had a really worthwhile conversation about running a food pantry and meeting all the health and safety standards.
Like many Islanders, Barbara wears many hats-so she was also able to talk about MSTD and show the space. Liz was truly impressed with the abundance of space and how well it is used by the community.
She then met Dhru Amin, RIOC CFO, who escorted Liz to the Youth Center. Fantastic exchange with the older campers.
She was so impressed -they were prepared with excellent and challenging questions for Liz!
Christina Delfico of iDig2Learn led Liz on a tour of the Education Garden, a partnership between iDig2Learn and the Youth Center.
We discovered Liz grew up with a big garden—so she and Christina had a lot to discuss. Christina says about Liz “boy does she know her plants “
Then onto the NYPL where Branch Manager, Brandon Korosh, greeted Liz and gave her a tour of the facilities. Liz ended her day with a Chicken Tereyaki Bowl at the Rolls N Bowls directly across from the Library. She gives it a “Thumbs Up” review!
She really had a wonderful day and was very pleased to meet a diverse of Islanders and really to experience so much of it “in action”. She has an even greater appreciation for the Island lifestyle than she did before!
Here's Senator Krueger speaking more about Roosevelt Island community issues during the July 1 Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island Committee meeting.Spent a great day on Roosevelt Island yesterday! Visited the @iDig2Learn education garden and the Roosevelt Island Youth Center among many others. pic.twitter.com/82nCnmy73V
— Senator Liz Krueger (@LizKrueger) July 18, 2024
Our Roosevelt Island neighbors at the Coler Rehab & Nursing Facility, the Open Doors Reality Poets are:
... an artist collective of current and former residents of a long-term care facility on Roosevelt Island in NYC. Guided by the Reality Poets’ lived experience and vision, our work focuses on disability justice, community building and gun violence prevention...
The Open Doors NYC Reality Poets invite you to their July 18 Mid-Summer Barbecue at Lighthouse Park.
Thank you everyone who came to our recent BBQ, and if you couldn't make it... don't worry because we're having ANOTHER ONE!!! Join us Thursday, July 18th at 3:30pm at Light House Park, Roosevelt Island (910 Main Street) for our mid summer barbecue. There will be food, drinks, music and poetry. All are welcome, so bring your friends and family! We're excited to continue the summer festivities with y'all and can't wait to spend more time together.
Also Open Doors invites you to Open Mic on July 27 from 2-4 PM at the Roosevelt Island NY Public Library branch (504 Main Street):
Join us for an afternoon of poetry at Roosevelt Island Library. Just as much as we love to read your poetry, we love to hear you speak it!We are very excited to invite you to share your poetry with us on a Saturday afternoon at the Roosevelt Island Library. Come ready for an afternoon of spoken word and good times with friends and community.
All poets who would like to perform, please email us at: support@opendoorsnyc.org to be put on the list. Please do your best to email us prior to the event so that we can have our scheudle set and ready to go.
There will be a chance to win prizes and light refreshments will be provided. Bring your friends and family!
Two week ago I noticed two NYPD Special Victims detectives appearing to be investigating an incident by the Roosevelt Island Riverwalk Commons area. I asked the detectives what happened but they declined to comment.
Here is an updated picture of this man still wanted by the Queens Special Victims Squad for a sexual assault that occurred on June 29, 2024, at 3:20 a.m. in the vicinity of Roosevelt Island. If you have any information, call 718-520-9277. https://t.co/zldV8B70Xi pic.twitter.com/34sf0mCR6W
— NYPD Special Victims (@NYPDSVU) July 15, 2024
I asked the NYPD for further information:
The NYPD Special Victims tweeted today about a sexual assault that occured June 29 on Roosevelt Island which is in the jurisdiction of the 114 precinct in Queens.
Here is link to the Tweet.
Please note that there is a subtweet which says the assault took place on Roosevelt Avenue which is different from Roosevelt Island.
The picture of the suspect is from the Roosevelt Island subway station.
Do you have any more specific information on what happened?
A NYPD spokesperson answered today:
It was reported to police that on Sunday, June 30, 2024, at approximately 0315 hours, a 19-year-old female was walking in the vicinity of Main Street and West Main Street, when an unknown male approached her and demanded a kiss. The complainant asked the individual to leave her alone. The individual then pushed her against a wall and, and forcibly touched the victim’s private area.. There were no injuries reported as a result of this incident. The suspect fled on foot. There is no arrest and the investigation is ongoing.
Last Saturday July 13, the Waterfront Alliance 17th annual City of Water Day was celebrated at over 60 locations on the New York and New Jersey waterfront. According to the Waterfront Alliance:
Dozens of communities across all five boroughs, Westchester and Rockland counties, and New Jersey will host events on and near the water that celebrate the importance of a resilient and equitably shared waterfront. From free kayaking to rowing to hands-on workshops, these events offer community members opportunities for fun, education, and access to their local waterfront....
It’s #CityofWaterDay! Our VP Alexis Taylor & AVP Blake Montieth of Neighborhood Strategies explains how projects like the Fidi Seaport Climate Resilience Plan can protect NYC from climate change and enhance the waterfront for New Yorkers to enjoy. pic.twitter.com/fMhz0EhxtT
— NYCEDC (@NYCEDC) July 13, 2024
2024 City of Water Day was celebrated at Roosevelt Island's FDR Four Freedoms Park too.
Roosevelt Island resident and iDig2Learn founder Christina Delfico together with FDR Four Freedoms Park Director Angela Strangenberg
shared information with park visitors
about the aquatic life
that can be found in the waters of NYC and Roosevelt Island shoreline.
Ms Delfico adds:
FDR Four Freedoms State Park and iDig2Learn wish to thank everyone who came out to celebrate the annual City of Water Day.Most Roosevelt Islanders know that the East River flanking our shores is actually an estuary with brackish waters, a mix of salt water from the Atlantic Ocean and fresh water. That means we get interesting life that thrives in both types of waters.The work of the Billion Oyster Project, which collects oyster shells from restaurants to serve as foundational beds for growing baby oysters, has now placed millions of pounds of live oysters in our waterways and they are filtering and cleaning the waters. Why does this matter? Cleaner waters mean more Bunker (Menhaden) fish, which means more dolphins and whales following and eating those fish.Dolphins have been spotted in the East River and even seals. And Humpback whales love to eat Bunker fish too and now Gotham Whale teams up with Seastreak and other ships to offer whale watching trips here in New York and photographers identify individual whales. Both myself and also Angela Stangenberg, Park Director FDR Four Freedoms State Park and Gantry State Park in LIC, have seen Humpback whales in local waters, as close as beneath the Verrazano bridge.At our Roosevelt Island City of Water Day celebration last Saturday, neighbors and visitors got to touch common algaes found in our waters like red algae, green algae called sea lettuce and Rockweed, a brown algae, with air bladders to help them float to capture sunlight for the photosynthesis. And the star of the touch table was the Bristle worm or clam worm commonly referred to as sand worm which lives 4 to five inches deep into the sand of the beach. They have sharp pinchers what looks like legs on each body segment which can be eight centimeters long. Water is amazing and we loved learning more together.
Take a look at some of the 2024 City Of Water Day celebrations taking place all over the NY and NJ coastal areas.
Interviewer: Thank you all for joining me today. Let’s start with the inspiration behind "The Road Ahead" exhibition. Elena, could you tell us what motivated the theme of history, forgiveness, and the transformative power of art?
Elena Jordan: Certainly. "The Road Ahead" was born from a collective desire to explore how art can serve as a bridge between our past, present, and future. We wanted to delve into the idea that forgiveness, as Hannah Arendt eloquently put it, can reverse the irreversible flow of history. This theme resonates deeply with the challenges and opportunities facing today’s society, urging us to confront our past in order to pave a path forward.
Interviewer: Amazia, your statement about honoring the transformative power of youth is quite compelling. Could you expand on how this theme manifests in the artworks featured in the exhibition?
Amazia Thompson: Absolutely. Throughout history, young people have been catalysts for change, often pushing boundaries and reshaping societal norms. In "The Road Ahead," we showcase artworks by a diverse group of Gen-Z artists who embody this spirit of innovation and resilience. Their works not only challenge established narratives but also celebrate the creative energy that propels us towards a future where inclusivity and empathy prevail.
Interviewer: Tiko, you have been recently appointed as board of director at RIVAA Gallery, and this is your first group exhibition as a curator. What was your vision for assembling this diverse array of artworks? How do you see these artists contributing to a larger societal dialogue?
Tiko El Outa: Our vision with "The Road Ahead" was to curate a dynamic conversation that disrupts conventional norms and amplifies the voices of young artists. We wanted to showcase works that provoke thought, spark dialogue, and invite viewers to reconsider their perspectives on history and its impact on our collective future. These artists are not just creating art; they are challenging us to imagine new possibilities and advocate for a more inclusive and equitable society....
Here's the full interview with photos.
More info on RIVAA Gallery at their website.
