NY CITY COUNCIL DIST. #8 MAP
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MEDIA
COVERAGE
One Woman's Dream: A Switch between two schoolhouses, but now the City wants to demolish both! (NY Times, Jun. 5, 2005).
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Gwen Goodwin among the 100 Women who Shape our City (Daily News, Apr. 26, 2004).
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Saving P.S. 109 in East Harlem
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Cape May Mini-Vacations for WTC Fire Fighters ("A Breath of Fresh Air")
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Fighting the 100th Street Bus Depot
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Moffitt House was built in the 1700's, but the current owners want to knock it dow to make room for modern real estate. You can make this amazing edifice your own, for a song, and help preserve this unique antique.
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The ongoing struggle to save Atlantic City, NJ's, schools under the axe, starting with the Ohio Avenue School.
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Eminent Domain Abuse, accelerated by the Kelo v. New London. CT, U.S. Supreme Court Decision, is another mega-corporate threat to everyone else, and this time, institutional liberalism is the cutting edge of the attack.
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ENDORSEMENTS
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PHOTOS |
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Julius Tajiddin of CB 10 alerts the Community:
BEWARE SECTION 8 OFFERS IN PUBLIC HOUSING!
A sinister plan is afoot to weaken and eventually destroy public housing. Details, CLICK.
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FUNDS AND VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Volunteer by email to gwe2000\@aol.com. You may send contributions, large or small, by check, made out to the Committee to Elect Gwen Goodwin, at 152 East 100th Street, #5E, New York, NY 10029. Every contribution will be highly appreciated, and will help make important differences.
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While protesting school budget cuts...
...Gwen Goodwin at June 16, 2008, City Hall rally against school budget cuts, collecting signatures to restore P.S. 109 as a school within the public education system.
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GWEN'S MAIN PLATFORM PLANK:
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See
architectural
monstrosities
"envisioned"
for
rezoned
Harlem
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Repeal Harlem Rezone!
And fight each implementation parcel!
NO
COMMUNITY
OBLITERATION!
Drive out the "Gang of 5" who engineered the rezonement:
- Mayor Michael Bloomberg, master gentrifier trying to take NYC over as his personal plantation,
- Congressmember Charles Rangel, Harlem's local political puppeteer, and
- Their "Three Stooges" on the NY City Council from East, Central and West Harlem:
- Melissa Mark-Viverito,
- Inez Dickens, and
- Robert Jackson,
who rammed the rezonement through.
- Gwen holds Coalition to Save P.S. 109 anti-Rezoning banner in background as Nellie Bailley, chair of Harlem Tenants Council, addresses News Conference on Steps of City Hall, June 19, 2008, over upcoming "Juneteenth" march through Harlem against displacement and gentrification. Video by bivmVideo (VIDEO)
- Hands Across Harlem by bivmVideo: April 12, 2008, Historic Hands Across Harlem demonstration of opposition to Harlem rezoning. See Gwen's concise but comprehensive analysis beginning at 7:06 into the tape: (VIDEO)
- SUPPORT VOTE PEOPLE LAWSUIT VS. REZONING: Gwen has signed on: Vote People presses litigation questioning rezoning's legality and due process in enacting it (CLICK)
- "The Desecration of Harlem": May 10, 2008 - Michael Henry Adams of Black Star News Analyzes the Rezoning, and describes the picketing of Inez Dickens fundraiser at Melba's Restaurant. Gwen was there! (CLICK)
- "For a Dollar" by bivmvideo through Daily Motion, recorded May 10, 2008. Major media coverage of the fight against rezoning and its pushers, including footage of rezone opponents including Gwen being illegally ejected from City Council spectators' balcony. Then community-made extensive footage of the protest outside Inez Dickens fundraiser at Melba's restaurant - See Gwen again, there at 3:54, 5:23 and 10:49! (VIDEO)
- Read NYC IndyMedia account of Harlem citizens including Gwen being forcibly ejected by police from City Hall spectator balcony, so that shamed Council members could vote to sell the land from under the people's feet, without looking their constituents in the face. (CLICK)
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GWEN GOODWIN "YOUTUBE" VIDEOS
Gwen Goodwin speaking at 125th Street Town Hall Meeting against the East Side implementation of the River-to-River rezoning designed to obliterate Harlem. The restless figure Seated rightmost behind Gwen Goodwin is NYC Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito, who has voted to support this gentrification project at every step of the way, betraying East Harlem and all people in New York.
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Gwen Goodwin speaking at public hearing against Columbia University land grab in Harlem, and particularly in its expansive use of eminent domain, breaking new precedent-setting ground in its dimension of outrageous abuse.
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Gwen Goodwin interviewed June 19, 2008, on steps of City Hall at Harlem Tenants' Council Press Conference for Juneteenth march in Harlem against displacement and gentrification, to take place two days later, which Gwen Goodwin supported, and attended and spoke.
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Gwen Goodwin on the steps of City Hall, after denouncing the Dickens-MarkViverito-Jackson plan to rezone Harlem for total gentrification and Big Real Estate takeover, and obliteration, and calling to unite all NYC to drive its proponents out of the City Council. "Harlem is NOT FOR SALE!"
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Gwen Goodwin demands: Shut down the City Haul Gravy Train!
As someone who has chosen to visit our gwengoodwin.com and saveps109.com, you are probably aware of the recent scandal over City Council discretionary funds. This is the local version of the Congressional Super Pork "Mandates", involving infamous sleazebags like Jack Abramoff.
See list of Harlem Council Members' pork payouts of your tax money!
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Movement for Justice in El Barrio socks it to Melissa Mark Viverito!
"Since we first met with you in 2006 as the women, men and families that are members of Movement for Justice in El Barrio, we have experienced nothing but broken promises, deception and your attempts to undermine our voice and support within the community through a behind-the-scenes smear campaign and shockingly dirty politics. We have recently been made aware of your attempts to buy-off one of our members by offering him money to work with you in exchange for abandoning his activity with Movement for Justice in El Barrio. Again, we were appalled by this newest tactic and, for this reason, we feel it is important to share this letter with you and with the public..."
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In 2005, We Got "Schleined", but
WE WILL WIN IN 2009!
Largely as a result of our standing alone among all the candidates in total opposition to the proposed "Uptown NY", we were forced off the Democratic Primary ballot by an incredible gang-up of bureaucratic forces using Melissa Mark Viverito as a spearhead, under the supervision of top bottom-feeder election attorney Stanley Schlein. [Stanley Schlein has since been fined for ethics violations: See coverage in the New York Times (CLICK) and the Village Voice (CLICK)]. We are currently exploring ways to continue the candidacy for City Council, based on a perspective of providing the best possible representation of the interests of the population of East Harlem/El Barrio. The "Uptown NO" website has also published an analysis, which you might find informative. (CLICK)
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- FORGING NECESSARY UNITY:
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From the Archives of Gwen's 2005 Campaign
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Gwen with anti-"Uptown NY" banner, with Miriam Falcon Lopez, back in 2005.
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Gwen says: Defeat the projected "Uptown NY"
"Uptown NY" is a monster-size development project that would occupy the entire area between 2nd and 3rd Avenues and 125th to 127th Streets. It would be the largest single development project since the construction of the World Trade Center. The impact of "Uptown NY" would speed the gentrification of East Harlem/El Barrio, threatening the diversity and culture of the community, push out low-income residents and community-based businesses.
Gwen Goodwin, running for City Council District 8, is the only candidate to have steadily resisted "Uptown NY":from the very beginning, including attending the Community Board 11 Economic Development committee meeting of June 14 along with Peter Paris and Ray Plumey.
Featured link: For more info on how to END the proposed Uptown NY project, see (CLICK).
See Gwen Goodwin's written commentary, faxed to the NYC Economic Development Corporation (CLICK).
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Gwen Goodwin among the top
100 women who shape our city
(NY Daily News, Apr. 26, 2004)...
...Right up there with Brooke Astor, Alice Cardona, HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, Gail Collins, Betty Cortina, Katie Couric, Tina Fey, CAROLINE KENNEDY, Bette Midler, Rosie O'Donnell, Sara Jessica Parker, Diane Ravitch, Susan Sarandon, NYDIA VELAZQUEZ and 85 other magnificent celebreties.
"GWEN GOODWIN Walking on the beach in Cape May, N.J., after Sept. 11, Goodwin was struck by how clean the air was. That gave rise to A Breath of Fresh Air, which provided rooms and respite to exhausted firefighters and cops. Soon, she set her sights on the 100th Street Bus Depot, her fume-filled neighbor in East Harlem. She lost - the depot reopened last year - but she hasn't given up the battle against its emissions. And when she's not pushing a placard, she's wielding a makeup brush at the Trish McEvoy counter at Henri Bendel...."
(For complete Daily News feature, click HERE)
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Gwen Goodwin sets up beach weekends for Fire Fighters in World Trade Center Rescue:
Heroes take a break
"...Walking along the beaches of Cape May, N.J., it hit her, and just like a breeze wafting off the ocean, A Breath of Fresh Air was born.... And that's why over the past several months [as of Feb. 11, 2002], more than 50 firefighters, police officers and their families have been able to enjoy the tranquility and beauty of a Cape May weekend...."
(For full story and photo, see NY Daily News Spotlight on City People, Feb. 11, 2002, and for an archived replica of A Breath of Fresh Air's website, Click HERE)
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HELP ELECT GWEN GOODWIN
Gwen Goodwin, a twenty-year resident of East Harlem, has been a unparalleled force in El Barrio saving, preserving, protecting and improving the East Harlem community. No one has more proven qualifications to represent in interests of all constituencies of El Barrio than Gwen Goodwin.
Politics often generates contests between big talkers and bigger talkers. Gwen is a doer. Not merely a maker of efforts, but one who has provided leadership in achieving results and winning, even against great odds and starting with meager resources.
We need Gwen to have input from the inside in mobilizing the machinery of government to do a much better job, and often to reverse direction.
Let's look at some of the projects initiated by Gwen, in the paragraphs below:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
In 1997, when rent regulations were under attack, Gwen not only participated in the movement to protect these vital laws, but organized the only trip, free of charge, that brought people from East Harlem to Albany, so that the faces of the people who would be most affected could have a real impact in the ongoing struggle for affordable housing. Gwen negotiated with Metropolitan Council on Housing until they agreed to furnish free-of-charge a bus for the residents of El Barrio. In addition, Gwen reached out to St. Francis d'Sale Church, which provided free lunches and beverages for the participants. Eva Moskowitz, now a City Councilmember, was among the riders who benefited that day.
In addition, Gwen set up a forum at the 96th Street Library, which brought together a host of speakers, uniting representatives from the Upper East Side, El Barrio, and the Upper West Side, to unite the public to keep rent stabilization and rent control safe. Among the speakers were Assemblymember Scott Stringer, State Sen. Olga Mendez, and Assembly-member John Ravitz.
WHO CARES ABOUT SCHOOLS? GWEN DOES!
In 1999, while Gwen was taking a walk and admiring beautiful P.S. 109, she noticed scaffolding and a building crew, and asked what was going on? She was shocked to find out that P.S. 109 was being demolished, and, adding insult to injury, the irreplaceable terracotta ornaments and other priceless antiquities were being pillaged, and turned over to a notorious salvage dealer Evan Blum.
It was then that Gwen created the Coalition to Save P.S. 109, starting by alerting the media, resulting in outstanding coverage by El Diario the New York Times, Daily News and Post. Gwen soon also recruited to the Coalition Raymond Plumey, a prominent architect with a Community Board background who spoke out authoritatively in media interviews defending P.S. 109, and who had been active in rescuing other renowned structures.
The New York City Landmarks Conservancy took up the call, and today P.S. 109 is on the National and New York Registers of Historic Places. On Sept. 12, 2000, Gwen received the Grassroots Preservation Award by the Historic District Council for the work on P.S. 109.
In addition, the Coalition compelled the Schools Construction Authority to repair the roof that they had destroyed during the attempted demolition. Today the Coalition is supporting the request by the Community Education District Council #4 in its request to have P.S. 109's full restoration included in the 2005-9 Capital Budget.
GWEN SAYS PROTECT COMMUNITY BASED BUSINESSES AND HOMES: STOP THE ABUSE OF EMINENT DOMAIN BY GOVERNMENT FOR BIG BUSINESS!
Gwen signed on to the lawsuit initiated by Business And Residents Alliance (BARA) of East Harlem against East River Plaza, which through eminent domain took 11 businesses and decimated the lives of those who owned, managed and worked in these small businesses, like Mr. Minick, whose life was destroyed by mere strokes of a pen—All that for the benefit of mega-corporate outfits like Costco and Home Depot.
Gwen raised $3,000 in two days to help facilitate the lawsuit, and helped come up with a strategy to create a historic district in Pleasant Avenue Village. Gwen went from door to door collecting history and data of East Harlem's residents. Although the District never came to fruition, the experience of interacting with the local folks emboldened Gwen even further.
GWEN CREATES "A BREATH OF FRESH AIR" FOR HERO FIREFIGHTERS IN WAKE OF 9-11
Gwen's friend Steven Kelly, a NYC firefighter and a noble person in his own right, was fortunately spared on 9-11, but Steve lost so many of his very good friends, that Gwen through that it would be nice for Steve and his wife Mary Ellen to be able to get away for a weekend in Cape May.
After pondering this idea for a while, Gwen thought it would be nice if all the firefighters could go Cape May for a breath of fresh air. Gwen approached the Innkeepers Association of Cape May and requested free two-night, three-day hotel packages. Thirty-five inns and five restaurants ended up participating. Four hundred firefighters and their families were able to enjoy this program. Gwen was featured in Spotlight on City People in the February 11, 2002, edition of the New York Daily News.
In addition, she was New York City's Hometown Hero on WCBS Channel 2's evening news.
GWEN FIGHTS AIR POLLUTION BY CHALLENGING 100TH ST. BUS DEPOT
Gwen, with Manhattan Borough President Virginia C. Fields, NY State Senator Olga Mendez and Democratic District Leader Felix Rosado at rally to protest reopening of 100th Street Bus Depot.
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In 2002, Gwen took on the MTA to a fight for the health of the residents of East Harlem, and the right to breathe clean air, forming the East Harlem Bus Stop. East Harlem has the highest rate of asthma in the United States and Diesel particulates not only exacerbate asthma, but can also cause lung cancer. Gwen sought out legal help and Davis Polk and Wardwell was the lawfirm that took on this case, pro bono. Gwen teamed up with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund along with Peggy Shepard and West Harlem Environmental Action "WEACT".
In September, 2003, when the MTA reopened the depot, East Harlem Bus Stop, along with WEACT, was there to protest against the MTA and the abusive practice of saturating neighborhoods of color with bus depots which are so devastating to the health of the communities where they reside.
Gwen was able to orchestrate having NY State Senator Olga Mendez come and speak out at the rally. C. Virginia Fields and other prominent politicians were on hand that day.
Currently, Gwen is working to facilitate the restoration of P.S. 109, and also to continue the battle against the 100th Street Bus Depot.
Among politicians, there are many talkers and few doers. Lydia Lopez, also a great activist and a member of the East Harlem Coalition to Improve our Public Schools, recently wrote to Gwen: "I truly believe that you CAN make a difference in East Harlem. You have proven that you are a DOER and the record you now have will certainly help in convincing people that you 1) mean business 2) are not afraid to speak out 3) will not hesitate to stand up for the community and 4) are not easily intimidated by politicians! All good traits of a REAL, TRUE REPRESENTATIVE!"
Indeed, we need a true representative of the people, for a change, the City Council. Vote for Gwen Goodwin, vote preservation of our culture, preservation of our historic buildings, and preservation of our small businesses. Join the campaign to elect Gwen Goodwin!
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Thank you for being
visitor number
to our website.
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Gwen Goodwin
for City Council, District 8
152 East 100th Street, Suite 5E
New York, NY 10029
Phone/Fax 212-534-0963
E-mail: GWE2000\@aol.com
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