Inside Fordham University\u2019s Rose Hill Gymnasium, the \u2018Bronx First\u2019 event, the Metro Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) founding assembly, was held on Feb. 5. Over 1,872 New York City community members gathered in order to introduce a new initiative in support of Bronx residents.<\/p>\n
Bronx First is a new effort launched by the Metro IAF<\/a> in order to champion initiatives that address issues such as affordability, safety, housing, mental health and quality of education in the Bronx. The Metro IAF is part of the largest collections of mosques, churches, synagogues, non-profits and other groups that collaborate to launch similar efforts to those of Bronx First in the United States.<\/p>\n This event featured key speakers who championed the initiative and recounted their experiences with Metro IAF. One of the key points multiple speakers addressed was the absence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was invited because much of his early campaigning<\/a> focused on prioritizing the needs of Bronx residents.<\/p>\n \u201cMayor Mamdani is not here tonight,\u201d said the event\u2019s co-chair Haji Dukuray, in his opening speech. \u201cWe invited him, but he decided to ignore us. That\u2019s a huge mistake made. But we don\u2019t need him here to organize ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n In an interview with The Ram, Simone also drew on the power of community gathering, despite Mamdani not being present at the assembly.<\/p>\n The hosts spoke on the absence. \u201cWe invited Mayor Mamdani, and he\u2019s not here, but we are, and we are all the guests of honor, and we\u2019re happy to be organized in the community tonight,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Eileen Torres, the co-chair, opened the meeting by saying describing the initiative as \u201cpersonal to her,\u201d as a Bronx native with immigrant parents who struggled with housing during her childhood. She described some of the pressing matters the Bronx is currently facing.<\/p>\n \u201cWe understand that there is a housing crisis,\u201d she said. \u201cWe know that Bronx schools are failing to teach us how to read or get jobs, and there\u2019s a lack of preventative mental health, and we feel unsafe.\u201d<\/p>\n Dukuray then recounted his experiences after arriving in the Bronx in 1988, describing it as \u201cdrug-infested.\u201d He also described meeting a family who greeted him.<\/p>\n \u201cHe said, \u2018welcome to my home. This is your home, this is the Bronx, the Bronx is your home. Let\u2019s build it,\u2019\u201d he recounted.<\/p>\n One of the speakers was Nina Simone, associate executive director at New Settlement<\/a>, who opened her speech by chanting \u201cthe Bronx, first, the Bronx first!\u201d She expressed her support for the initiative and shared her family\u2019s story with Metro IAF.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m standing here tonight as a direct beneficiary of Metro IAF leaders who shaped my family\u2019s future,\u201d Simone said. \u201cMetro IAF and East Brooklyn congregations, organizers, pastors and leaders\u2026saw potential where others saw abandonment.\u201d<\/p>\n Simone also emphasized the potential impact of New York City increasing housing prices<\/a> on the Bronx and the need for this effort.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Bronx is the last to stand in New York to produce truly affordable and safe houses to rent or own,\u201d she said. \u201cSome of us live in buildings that are in dire need of repair and upgrades \u2026 we\u2019re going to fight to make sure every single person can have an affordable and safe place to call home.\u201d<\/p>\n