NYC Civic Engagement Commission

NYC Civic Engagement Commission

JUNE HIGHLIGHTS

PUBLIC HEARING

The Civic Engagement Commission (CEC) held a public hearing proposing rules to set forth a minimum age requirement of 11 for participation in the citywide participatory budget program. Read more about the final certification.

JUNE PRIMARY - GET OUT THE VOTE

Volunteers had the opportunity to participate through neighborhood canvassing and multilingual peer-to-peer text banking to share information about the June Primary and about the CEC’s poll site language interpretation services. In partnership with the Mayor's Office of Public Engagement Unit (PEU), we were able to engage with hundreds of residents and businesses across New York City.

In partnership with The Arab-American Family Support Center (AAFSC), Bay Ridge Community Development Center, and Arab American Association New York we also shared election information and poll site services to hundreds of Arabic-speaking New Yorkers!

CITYWIDE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING

This fall we are launching NYC’s first ever citywide Participatory Budgeting process! Residents across the 5 boroughs will be able to decide how to spend $5 million of public funding. To kick-off Phase 1, we released an application where groups, entities, and organizations can apply for funding to hold Idea Generation Sessions in their communities. The deadline to apply has been extended! Apply by July 15th: http://on.nyc.gov/citywidepb

POLL SITE LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE

During the Primary Election in June 2022, we were able to offer interpretation services in the following languages to limited English proficient voters at a total of 100 polling locations: Russian, Haitian Creole, Yiddish, Polish, Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese/Mandarin, French, Korean, Urdu, and Italian.

JUNETEENTH IN QUEENS

The Juneteenth in Queens celebration took place at Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans on Sunday, June 19, 2022. This community-led collaboration commemorated 156 years of Black Liberation since the last enslaved people in Galveston, TX were freed. The CEC was honored to be a part of this event and to work with local Queens communities, partners, businesses, and vendors to highlight this important moment in our nation's history.

THE ARAB-AMERICAN FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER (AAFSC) COMMUNITY RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY

The Arab American Family Support Center (AAFSC) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, July 7th, at MS 217 to celebrate two community gardens in Queens that were created through the NYC Civic Engagement Commission’s participatory budgeting process. AAFSC led this garden revitalization project in partnership with NYC's Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity (TRIE), the NYC Civic Engagement Commission, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and Safe Zone Cross Culture Youth. The ceremony marked the official launch of the gardens' public use and recognized the importance and success of community-oriented, racial-equity-focused enrichment initiatives working to address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color and its lingering ramifications, and health disparities. The gardens will address food insecurity in Briarwood and serve as a venue for food-system education and community gatherings.

UPCOMING EVENTS

PUBLIC MEETING

The Civic Engagement Commission will hold our next virtual open public meeting on Wednesday, July 26th, 2022 11:00am.

AUGUST PRIMARY ELECTION

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Follow us on social media and learn about our programs on our website: https://linktr.ee/NYCCEC

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