Luka to Lakers Shocks NBA ahead of trade deadline

What would it have taken a team like Brooklyn to pry the 25-year-old superstar from Dallas?

By Noah Zimmerman

The Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. Even after a handful of days there is little sense to be made of the blockbuster trade that shook the NBA and sports world to its core late Saturday night.

Los Angeles also received Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris in the deal. Alongside Davis, the Lakers sent Max Christie and a first round pick to Dallas, as well as Jalen Hood-Schiffino to the Utah Jazz. 

Following the trade, a dejected Mavs team was forced to take the floor against the Cleveland Cavaliers, one of the best teams in the league. The Cavs scored 50 points in the first quarter en route to a 144-101 trouncing, a foreboding sign for the future in Dallas.

Despite bringing Anthony Davis to Texas, the Mavs departure from their franchise player confused fans and risks going down as one of the worst trades in sports history. Only time will tell if this deal damages the Mavs as much as Billy Kingís trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce crippled the Nets.

To defend his move, Mavs GM Nico Harrison echoed a well known sentiment that defense wins championships. There were many concerns with Dallas regarding Luka’s apathy on the defensive side of the court, as well as his conditioning and injury issues. With Luka due for a max contract extension at the end of the year, Harrison decided it was too risky to pay up.

As a result, Dončić is no longer eligible for the $346M/5-year contract Dallas could have given him. The most he can receive from LA is $229M/5-years.

Another young superstar, Minnesota’s Anothony Edwards had trouble making sense of the deal. “At 25 they traded, probably the best scorer in the NBA,” the 23-year-old guard lamented. “He just went to the finals.”

“I still feel like there is something, some facts that are going to come out over time,” said Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. “I can’t really comprehend how that makes sense to be honest.”

What would it have taken other teams to land a player as coveted as Dončić? It’s clear that the Mavericks’ priority was to land a dominant two-way center in Davis, but it’s hard to see any long-term benefit with their new center turning 32 in March. Their inability to fetch more than one first round draft pick is baffling considering the modern trade market.

Other centers like Rudy Gobert netted four first round picks on the trade market. The Nets were able to fetch five first round picks from the Knicks in exchange for Mikal Bridges. 

Brooklyn was able to transform their return for a 34-year-old Kevin Durant into 9 first round picks, two first round pick swaps, a handful of second rounders, Cam Johnson, and Zaire Williams. Dallas turned a 25-year-old Dončić into Davis, Christie, and a single 2029 draft pick.

For a rebuilding team like the Brooklyn Nets, young centers and draft stock were aplenty. Surely if Harrison had shopped Luka around the league he could have netted a haul of picks from the Nets alongside younger centers with upside like Nic Claxton or Dayíron Sharpe.

Regardless, whatís done is done. The NBA has been forever changed by the arrival of Luka in LA. With the trade deadline on Thursday afternoon, teams will finish making tweaks to their rosters while carefully eyeing the future.

“I thought I was gonna stay my whole career there. Loyalty is a big word for me,” said Dončić in his Lakers press conference. “But I got the ocean here. I get to play for the Lakers. Not many get to say that.”

Luka also expressed his love and admiration for the late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. After landing in LA he made sure to mention Bryant and his daughter Gigi, who tragically passed in 2020.

Dončić is nursing a calf injury that has sidelined him since December. He is currently slated to make his Lakers debut this Weekend as LA plays two games against the Jazz ahead of the All-Star Break.

JJ: “Super Fatigue, But A Super Matchup!”

By: John Jastremski

For the second time in three years, it will be the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles for all the marbles down in New Orleans. 

It’s not necessarily a matchup that most of the country and especially New York is dying to see once again.

The level of Kansas City Chief fatigue has reached an all time high.

This is what happens when you dominate, people get sick of seeing you.

The Chiefs have been in the Super Bowl five of the last six years. So for Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the rest of the gang.

It’s a whole lot of, been there, done that.

You’re not going to get the same sense of Philadelphia Eagles fatigue throughout the country, but after all we are living in New York City.

For many Giants fans getting set for Super Sunday, the idea of the hated Eagles with former Giants star Saquon Barkley leading the way is a nauseating thought. 

Look, I totally get the sense of not having a particular rooting interest in this year’s big game. 

You may not like either team, but it doesn’t mean that Super Bowl 59 doesn’t have the makings of another potential classic.

The Kansas City Chiefs in case you missed the memo, don’t win in decisive fashion. 

Not their thing. 

If you are going to witness the first 3-peat in the Super Bowl era, odds are it will be an exhilarating, edge of your seat Kansas City Chiefs drama in which they somehow, someway find a way to win.

The Eagles go into the game with the better roster. 

They are a better team that lost a nail biter to the Chiefs two years ago because of the emergence of Saquon Barkley and what he has provided the running game. 

Can Philly avenge the loss from two years ago and stop history? 

Or is it as simple as Reid, Mahomes & crew being as inevitable as it gets… 

You may not like either team, but come Sunday, you’ll have a lot to ponder at your Super Sunday extravaganza.

You can listen to my podcast New York, New York every Sunday & Thursday on The Ringer Podcast Network on Spotify/Apple Podcasts. You can watch me nightly at 11 PM on Honda Sports Nite on SNY.

CTE & Black History Month

During a previous Black History Month, I wrote about how this annual celebration
had its origins in education. Today, CTE provides tremendous opportunities for
Black people, as well as people of every race, gender, and ethnicity.
Black History Month has been around since 1926, with a different theme each
year. This year’s theme, African Americans and Labor, is intended to encourage
reflections on intersections between Black people’s work and their workplaces.
The good news for young Black people today – There’s never been a better time to
acquire abilities that lead to good, high-paying careers in the skilled trades,
regardless of who you are – NEVER!
The creator of Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson wrote how educational
opportunities determined the life people create for themselves. He believed the
ability to make a living is determined by how well people use their educational
alternatives. He argued, vocational schools in his time only focused on training
Black students to develop a set of technical skills and not on developing all their
abilities. He would be pleased that – developing students’ natural abilities and
interests are fundamental to today’s CTE, for every race.
Woodson’s philosophy of nurturing critical & creative thinking is central to CTE.
That’s why he would recommend it to help his people succeed today.
One of the reasons often stated for the low numbers of Blacks in the skilled trades
is the lack of notable Black tradesmen as role models, even though there are
famous African Americans who’ve done exceptional work in every field –
including the skilled trades. For example, Alexander Miles invented a new way to
open and close elevator doors. How about Charles Vernon Stewart, who become
the first African American admitted into Greer College, a trade school for
electricians. After graduation, he founded the Taylor Electric Company.

These pioneers, and countless other African American men and women in the
trades have paved the way for young Backs today to take advantage of the
unlimited skilled trade career opportunities with a CTE program.
Since the industrial revolution, Blacks have always played a key role in advancing
skilled trades. Their contributions deserve recognition.
Through Career & Technical Education, the skilled trades offer endless
opportunities for African Americans to become highly successful tradesmen,
business owners, or BOTH. Being a tradesman is no longer about race or gender.
Countless African Americans are at the top of their field in every industry. The
need for skilled workers today is greater than ever before. That’s why CTE is now
the best path to successful careers for
most people. Is it for you?
I train people of every race and gender to
become highly paid professional
mechanics. Similar opportunities exist in all
trades. Employers don’t care about your
race – only your skills and your work-
ethic! They will pay a lot for both.
Take advantage of CTE today!

Unlock career doors with CTE!

Penner the Penman

When we meet an individual who is courageously unapologetic about using his unique insight helping the average New Yorker it’s difficult not to take note. Larry Penner; transit guru, letter writer, was that kind of person; curious, insightful and filled with empathy for the working man, and he know transit ridership from the supply and demand ends. And he was not afraid to write about it. Larry had a varied career in government, working for city planning as well as the board of elections. But his love was transportation, serving most of his working career managing and studying transit and transportation programs, working on projects within the MTA, NJ Transit and rail lines throughout New York.

With the knowledge gained throughout his decades of experience, Larry had become a prolific letter and op-ed writer to our newspaper for the past twenty years. He just loved the melodic proficiency in which the trains, busses and automobiles carried people with varied needs, through the city. His knowledge of the system, the movement of transit riders and the wants and needs of transit officials gave our readers the unique perspective few could.

Larry passed away last month after a battle with cancer. There are truly few who could replace the lens in which he saw transportation in New York City. He was born in Bay Ridge and lived most of his life in Great Neck. He was 71.

Pol Position: When There’s No Path, Move The Goal …. And Cuomo Still Leads

The red dress, who had been seemingly inserted in every photo
with Mayor Adams prior his legal troubles, announced a run
for city comptroller in November. Woodhaven Assembly
member Jennifer Rajkumar announced then, with great
fanfare, that she could turn the city around. Her blanket
political promises, of course, covered little specific substance,
just outlined that she fixes things and NYC needs to be fixed.
When others saw she was running, they thought she was quite
vulnerable. Senator Kevin Parker was in the race early. The
political playbook says, ‘raise a lot of money and you scare
people away from running against you.’ Well, it didn’t work
here. Seeing Rajkumar had raised a significant amount of
money entering the race, our sources tell us that Councilman
Justin Brennan and Mark Levine didn’t flinch, saw a path to
win the Comptroller race and joined in on the fun. After all,
Rajkumar’s claim to fame, according to legislators we speak
with, is appearing wearing a red dress, in nearly every photo
op. with the mayor. And as soon as he, and those around him
got caught up in probes and cell phone confiscation, she was a
ghost.
It’s not really her fault though. We were the first to talk to her
when she announced she was running for the Assembly and
faced incumbent Mike Miller in a primary in Woodhaven &
Richmond Hill. Our Leader Observer newspaper has been the
weekly paper of record in that area since 1909. She admitted
she moved here from Manhattan, specifically to run against
him in a district that had a low voter turnout. It’s a great story.
We loved her honesty and gave her a bunch of credit for
wanting to get into the political game any way she could. It was

brilliant. But early success, as we all know, sometimes leads to
a false sense that it’s going to be easy to move up in the
political world. By the way, not every legislator wants ‘to move
up’ as they say. Being an Assemblyman, Council representative
or Senator is a pretty successful thing – and many we report on
here see their service in these positions as a goal. But no doubt
some feel the need to move ‘up.’ But we digress.
The ‘Red Dress’ thing is a great prop. It’s a good way for people
to remember you. But people aren’t easily fooled. These days
they want substance. It’s too easy to run for office now, so we
are getting people who are movers and shakers, civic leaders
and business leaders. They don’t solely come out of democratic
clubs any longer. She happens to be sort of an outcast in the
Queens Assembly Caucus. Why? Because she wants more and
her colleagues see it. There’s time, one Queens Assembly
member told us. You can’t just move up because you are smart,
or because you have a brand. Getting elected takes work. It
takes going door-to-door to talk to the people. “… it takes
proving you can get things done.”

Cuomo Still On Top

Case in point … Andrew Cuomo. This week another poll came
out showing he still has a 25-point lead in a run for mayor ….
and he didn’t even announce. You have Stringer, Williams,
Ramos, Landor, Mamdani and Adams, each under 10%.
Cuomo has a track record of getting something done. Whether
you like it or not.
As of last week, the path to the next level for Rajkumar is in the
Public Advocate office. Moving The Goal… brilliant with
unapologetic moxie.

Jennifer Rajkumar

Mayoral Poll Says Cuomo Can Boast and Adams is Toast

By Robert Hornak

With petitioning starting in a few weeks for anyone running for city office this year, a poll was released this week by a democratic consulting firm that wanted to get some solid insight into which of the Democrats running for mayor were connecting with the voters and what issues were motivating primary voting Democrats. A number of surprises were revealed.

First, the candidate way ahead is the one who isn’t even running yet. Not long ago it appeared that former governor Andrew Cuomo was a pariah in NY politics. Now it appears that NYC democrats see him as the savior of their party. Ten candidates were included in the poll asking if the election were held today who would you vote for, and Cuomo received a commanding 35% of the vote.

Brad Lander comes in second with 10%, then at 9% is Eric Adams and Zohran Mamdani, followed by Scott Stringer at 8%. Then at 6% is Jessica Ramos and Zellnor Myrie at 3%. 20% of the respondents were undecided and the other three candidates, Michael Blake, Jim Walden and Whitney Tilson barely registered, with 1% or less. 

This, of course, is incredibly bad news for Eric Adams who is being resoundingly rejected by his party’s voters. Adams has the highest unfavorability rating at 83% (worse than Trump), and 81% disapprove of the job that Adams is doing as Mayor. On how city government is being run today, 66% give a rating of poor with only 28% rating it as fair. A shocking 85% say they don’t believe that Adams should be reelected as Mayor.

Earlier polls also showed Cuomo doing very well, leading many to assume that his strong numbers were based on name recognition, with many newcomers in the primary field. But there are some long-active, seasoned Democrats in this field, like Stringer and Lander, who have held higher office and have been relatively popular with Democrats. 

When you look at the issues that these primary voters care most about, it’s not the issues that the radical leftists or Democratic Socialists are focused on. Quite the opposite, in fact, and that explains a great deal of the results for these candidates. 

When asked what the most important issues are that the next mayor will have to deal with, crime and violence was the top issue at 23%, followed by quality of life at 22% and housing affordability at 19%. And, yes, this is a poll of primary voting democrats, not republicans. 

Other issues that were polled included: clean up government corruption; end the migrant crisis; fix the MTA, improve schools and education; create jobs and grow the economy; and stand up for people like me.

When asked who they think would be the best person to address each of the issues, Cuomo wins by a large margin on every issue, ranging from 24% to 45%. By comparison, Adams ranges from 1% to 12%, Stringer from 3% to 24%, and Democratic Socialist favorite Mamdani from 5% to 11%.

Top issues for Democratic Socialists and radical leftists, like closing prisons and reducing sentences for criminals, getting rid of anything that runs on fossil fuels (cars, ovens, heat, etc), or using leftist approved gender pronouns and pushing gender fluidity ideology on children, are nowhere to be found in the conversation. 

Interestingly, attitudes toward the Middle East conflict were not included, but it’s fair to say that many – but not all – of the candidates with decent numbers are pro-Israel.

This strong showing for Cuomo and the issues that he is seen as being strong on indicate that even in very liberal NYC, Democrats are rejecting the agenda of the far left and the DSA. Cuomo is said to be very close to announcing a run for mayor, and it appears he has the potential of walking away with a Primary win in June. And that just might be the thing that ultimately swings the Democratic Party back to focusing on the issues the voters care most about. 

Robert Hornak is a professional political consultant who has previously served as the Deputy Director of the Republican Assembly Leader’s NYC office and as Executive Director of the Queens Republican Party. He can be reached at rahornak@gmail.com and @RobertHornak on X.

 

 

Democrats Could Determine Their Future in June’s Primary

By Robert Hornak

Primary elections often have a certain amount of animosity with people from the same party trying to advance often similar but competing governing visions. Who wins these elections can often determine a lot about the direction that party takes in the near future – and sometimes in the long term as well.

Republicans are no stranger to this. In the 1980’s and 90’s there was the Reagan Revolution that challenged the long-standing zeitgeist of the establishment party leadership, that what was good for big business was good for America. Reagan’s domestic agenda focus on the working man, small business, and constitutional rights started a conflict that morphed through a few different incarnations. In the 90’s it was the Gingrich “Contract with America” and takeover of the House, then it became the Tea Party in the 2000’s, and then MAGA. 

It took almost 50 years, but eventually the disruptors won. 

The Democrats are in the early stages of a very similar internal conflict, but while the Republican disruptors were passionate pro-America, the Democrat disruptors are as opposite and anti-America as could be. 

It started in 2018 when Alexandria Ocasio Cortez defeated longtime Rep. Joe Crowly, a conservative, pro-life (yes, there used to be a few) democrat from Queens. AOC, as she is known, had the support of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) that was about to explode onto the political scene with a very radical, far left, anti-America, anti-Israel socialist agenda. 

A few short years later the 2021 NYC mayoral primary had a number of candidates from the far left looking to succeed term-limited Bill de Blasio, but the DSA didn’t yet have their own candidate for mayor. Fast forward to today, and the DSA has grown frighteningly powerful within the Democratic Party. 

All grown up, the DSA now has its own candidate for mayor, and he’s seen as a serious contender. Zohran Mamdani, who the DSA successfully elected to the NYS Assembly a few years ago, has captured the support of the most radical democrats in NYC in his race to replace Eric Adams as mayor. In the recent fundraising period that ended on January 11, Mandani had the highest take of any candidate in that filing, raising a shocking $641,816 since starting his campaign only a few months ago.

His take in this period was better than any of the far more experienced and well-known Democrats in the race like Brad Lander or the more moderate Scott Stringer. 

But here’s the rub – Momdani isn’t just a radical socialist who opposes the NYPD and putting criminals in jail, supports the socialist agenda that includes massive government regulation of business, control of private property, and the radically destructive green agenda. But in this city with one of the largest Jewish populations in the world, he is a pro-Palestinian antisemite. 

And this is the conflict that Democrats must deal with now. Their loss in 2024 should have been instructive. Even in places where Harris beat Trump, the numbers were much closer than in 2020. Many NY Democrats and independents who voted for Biden either flipped to vote for Trump or just stayed home. 

Voters are rejecting the pro-criminal, pro-illegal immigrant, anti-Israel agenda of the far left. Socialist District Attorney’s that were first elected with the support of George Soros and his “hate America” allies have now been thrown out all around the country in Democrat primaries. 

But Mamdani is a socialist disruptor that could permanently change the Democratic Party and make it the radical, anti-cop, pro-criminal, antisemitic party that the voters are rejecting in most cities and blue states. 

Of course, a Mamdani win in the primary could throw the door wide open for Curtis Sliwa, who is the only serious Republican candidate right now planning to run for mayor. It could drive many Democrats into the wide-open arms of the Republican Party looking for a party that embraces some sense of normalcy, and unlike in 1993 when they ran to Rudy Giuliani for saving, this time they just may stay with their Republican brethren. 

Robert Hornak is a professional political consultant who has previously served as the Deputy Director of the Republican Assembly Leader’s NYC office and as Executive Director of the Queens Republican Party. He can be reached at rahornak@gmail.com and @RobertHornak on X.

 

 

Hochul Unveils Sweeping Changes for MTA in 2025

Courtesy: MTA’s X Account

By MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is undergoing a transformative shift in 2025 with a series of ambitious upgrades, safety initiatives, and infrastructure enhancements. Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration has laid out a comprehensive vision to modernize the city’s transit system, addressing key concerns like crime, fare evasion, and accessibility, while also leveraging new funding sources, including the controversial congestion pricing program.

As part of a phased safety plan announced during her State of the State address, Governor Hochul revealed that the NYPD has deployed dozens of additional officers across the MTA overnight, with the goal of providing heightened security for riders. This follows a growing push to ensure the safety of subway commuters, with plans to station two officers aboard every overnight subway train, as well as ramp up patrols across the city’s vast 472 subway stations and 665 miles of track.

The MTA’s updated security strategy also includes installing “more barriers” in at least 100 stations and bright LED lighting in every station by the end of 2025. Additionally, the MTA is set to introduce new platform edge barriers designed to prevent falls and reduce incidents of criminal pushes onto the tracks. These measures will be prioritized at stations with high ridership and high rates of crime.

Courtesy Governor Kathy Hochul

Along with increased police presence, the state’s new $77 million initiative will place 750 more officers on platforms and in stations and deploy an additional 300 officers to patrol the overnight subway system. Hochul emphasized the need for a focused approach, noting that most crimes occur during the late-night hours between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., when fewer passengers are on the trains.

To tackle the widespread issue of fare evasion, which costs the MTA an estimated $700 million annually, Hochul has ordered the installation of modern fare gates with spiked barriers aimed at preventing riders from hopping over turnstiles without paying. These new gates, which were rolled out at the Lexington Avenue-59th Street station in Manhattan in late January, are designed with metal panels and pointed spikes to deter fare evaders.

Beyond safety and fare collection, the MTA is advancing a series of major infrastructure projects that will shape the future of the city’s public transit. Chief among them is the Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 extension, which will extend the line to East Harlem. Additionally, the MTA plans to modernize signal systems on key subway lines like the A/C and B/D/F/M trains, benefiting over 1.5 million daily riders. Over the next few years, the authority also aims to make improvements at more than 20 stations to enhance accessibility for riders with disabilities, while introducing hundreds of new electric buses to further reduce the city’s carbon footprint.

These projects are being funded in part by the state’s new congestion pricing program, which charges drivers $9 during peak hours to enter Manhattan’s busiest areas. The initiative, which began on January 5, is expected to reduce traffic and generate $15 billion in transportation funding, which will go toward mass transit projects across the city. Governor Hochul has also promised that congestion pricing will lead to reduced traffic congestion, with at least a 5% decrease in vehicle miles traveled and a 10% drop in the number of vehicles entering Manhattan’s central business district.

In line with the goals of congestion pricing, Hochul is advocating for the MTA’s proposed 2025-2029 capital plan, which includes a wide range of initiatives aimed at modernizing the city’s subway and bus systems. This plan calls for new railcars, rehabilitation of stations, improved accessibility, and the installation of new fare gates, all while expanding the transit network. The funding for these projects will be derived from a mix of federal, state, city, and MTA contributions, with the goal of maintaining a “state of good repair” and enhancing the transit experience for millions of riders.

Another major overhaul is the ongoing Queens Bus Network Redesign, a project aimed at improving bus service across the borough. After five years of planning and public outreach, the MTA is preparing to implement a new bus network that will reduce travel times, improve reliability, and simplify service. The redesign also includes new bus priority projects on high-traffic corridors that will prioritize buses, enabling faster travel times and improving service quality.

These changes are just the beginning of what promises to be a decade of transformation for New York’s transit system. 

 

Jessica González-Rojas Heads Task Force on Women’s Issues

Courtesy Office of Jessica González-Rojas

By MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie at the beginning of the year announced leadership appointments for the 2025 legislative session, including the appointment of Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas as the new chair of the Assembly’s Task Force on Women’s Issues. The task force, which includes nearly half of the state’s female Assembly members, will focus on advancing policies to protect and empower women and families across New York.

The task force marks a new chapter in González-Rojas’ long-standing advocacy for gender justice. She previously spent over a decade leading the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the health and dignity of Latina communities. Her work there focused on reproductive rights and social justice issues, skills she is now channeling into her role as a legislator.

“I’m so super honored and excited, it’s a continuation of my long, decade long work in gender justice and reproductive justice and fighting for women and families,” González-Rojas said.

The task force, which boasts the largest number of female legislators in New York State history, will convene soon to begin crafting priorities for the 2025 legislative session. González-Rojas plans to hold regular meetings to establish a bold legislative agenda focused on gender justice.

“We are really looking forward to starting the year off with a bold agenda, especially that we’re up against a fascist, sexist, racist, xenophobic President of the United States,” González-Rojas said. 

González-Rojas’ legislative track record is already significant. She has successfully introduced and passed laws aimed at improving health care for women, including Lian’s Law, which addresses preeclampsia awareness, and a measure to improve mental health screenings for women of color. As a parent, she has been instrumental in pushing for universal school meals for all students in New York.

“It’s very important to me because part of my values is that every child should have access to a healthy breakfast and healthy lunch in school, without stigma or any barriers,” she said. 

Despite her advocacy for city-specific issues, González-Rojas’ position as chair of the task force extends beyond New York City. She’s tasked with addressing issues that affect women and families statewide, including those in rural and upstate regions, which face distinct challenges.

“There are certainly discrepancies across the state,” she said. “For example, while New York City has already implemented free school meals for all, there are many parts of the state that haven’t.”

Among the top priorities González-Rojas plans to tackle during her tenure are universal child care and expanding reproductive rights protections. The Assembly member believes that while New York has strong protections for reproductive health, including access to abortion services, more can be done.

“We’re continuing to look at a suite of bills that protect reproductive justice in New York and protect and expand, I would argue, we want to continue to make sure New York is a safe haven, but also we want to include gender affirming care in those lists of protections, because it’s part and parcel of reproductive justice, and we want to be again, very inclusive,” she said.

Additionally, González-Rojas has introduced legislation that would protect reproductive health data for individuals using apps to track their health. She is also continuing to advocate for measures to protect reproductive health care providers.

Reflecting on her experience leading the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, González-Rojas believes her leadership background gives her a unique perspective in the Assembly

“We’ve seen how vulnerable communities, especially women, trans people, and immigrants, are under attack at the federal level, and I’m committed to pushing back against that.”

Though González-Rojas is optimistic about the future, she knows that enacting meaningful change is not without its challenges. The legislative process can be slow, and there are many competing priorities.

She also highlighted the intersectionality of women’s issues, pointing out that challenges like labor rights and workforce development are crucial to advancing gender equity. One area of focus is addressing wage disparities for women in industries like food service, where workers often rely on tips to make up for subminimum wages.

“I’m also carrying a bill called One Fair Wage, which would eliminate the subminimum wage for restaurant workers,” González-Rojas said. “The thing that I like to underscore is that industry is very feminized. Many tip workers are women and women of color, and those most disproportionately impacted are women and women of color.”

González-Rojas also emphasized the importance of including transgender women in conversations about women’s issues.

“It’s crucial that we ensure protections for both cisgender and transgender women,” she said.

She pointed out that trans women are often excluded from discussions on gender justice, and she is committed to being inclusive, particularly when it comes to protecting their rights within reproductive justice and beyond.

In her vision for women’s rights in New York, González-Rojas hopes to ensure that every individual, regardless of their race, gender, or immigration status, can have the autonomy to create and raise a family with dignity and justice.

“I think the ultimate goal is to ensure that every person, despite you know, race, gender, gender identity or immigration status, that they have the ability to determine if, when and how to create a family, and then be able to raise that family with dignity,” she said. “So, it’s about autonomy, it’s about dignity, it’s about justice, and that’s been my core values. And again, I’m thrilled to leverage this position to fight for that vision.”

As chair of the Task Force on Women’s Issues, González-Rojas is poised to continue her advocacy on a larger scale, fighting for gender justice and reproductive rights across New York State. 

The Art of 1990s VHS Skating Videos

By Alice Moreno

Stepping onto the second floor of the Museum of Moving Image (MoMI) in Astoria, Queens felt as if I stepped into a sort of time machine, magically transported back to the 90s where instead of smartphones and social media, there were camcorders, boxy TVs, and old-school rap and punk music blasting through the speakers. The common theme at this exhibit was skaters, who joined together back in the days to film themselves at their local park with just a camcorder, their impressive tricks and a dream. 

This dream is the foundation upon which the skating community is built today. What was once a small community featuring your local skater-next-door hitting up the abandoned pool with a small filming crew, is now an amalgamation of its rising popularity. Currently, skating culture is seen everywhere, including high-fashion brands like Supreme, street-style becoming a fashion staple, Oscar-award nominated films, the popular gaming series “Tony Hawk Pro Skater,” and the inclusion of skating at the Olympics. 

The most important part of celebrating skating culture and its emergence in popular culture is remembering where it all started. The exhibition, “Recording the Ride: The Rise of Street-Style Skate Videos,” does exactly that.  

Installed at the MoMI’s video amphitheater, the exhibition explores the history of skating videos, from its emergence in the mid-1980s to its increasing popularity in the 1990s. Throughout the exhibition, these videos were played on CRT-TV’s, with the earliest being from 1984 and the latest from 2021. The videos were notable for being filmed on camcorders. Due to the high-speed nature of skating, filmmakers had to be up to speed. Using camcorders — which were portable — made it easy for them to move around, using a wide-angle lens to siphon every second of their moves. 

“It’s a great opportunity to show off the amazing creativity and the kind of exuberance and the great DIY spirit of the skate video,” said Barbara Miller, Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at the MoMI. “And to pay homage to [not only] great skaters, but also the filmers and the team managers who were responsible for bringing those videos to life.”

These films were distributed and made by companies such as Zoo York, Powell Peralta, and H-Street — but not for the big screen. These were smaller films, with VHS tapes sold at skate shops, mostly used to be watched at home or even showcased in local art-house theaters. In addition, street style and music set the scene in these videos. Whether it be skaters sporting a “Misfits” t-shirt or videos playing 60s hippie-rock hits like Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love,” freestyle rap like Ghostface Killah’s “‘93 Freestyle,” or even unexpected tunes such as the mellow “What a Wonderful World,” there is an evident connection between skating and the countercultures of the past. 

Above the installation, hung a plethora of skateboards. The designs are their art form, all tailored to each skater’s taste — some featured screen-printed images, some had collages of different trinkets and elements, and some even had a simple brand name. Not one skateboard looked alike. Guests were also able to walk past cases filled to the brim with VHS tapes, all including skateboarding content that was also showcased at the amphitheater’s film viewing area. Memorabilia was also present, including camcorders famously used to film the skaters and magazines reporting on the culture. 

The effervescent, punk-adjacent skating culture used filmmaking to bring their community together. With the team of skate scene legends Director Jacob Rosenberg; Michaela Ternasky-Holland, daughter of the late Mike Ternasky, founder of Plan B Skateboards; as well as the staff at the MoMI, the dynamic visuals of skaters came to life in this exhibition. 

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