It was my absolute pleasure to join @doechancellor Kamar Samuels at the NYCPS press conference announcing and celebrating the opening of the Bronx School of Arts & Exploration and the Bronx School of Hip-Hop.
I love to see our students being given opportunities to learn in ways that truly connect with them—through music, the arts, and experiences that reflect their voices and creativity.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2026
New York, NY – New York City alone spends nearly $500 million each year to serve more than 220 million meals across schools, hospitals, shelters, senior centers, jails, and other City programs. Under current state procurement law, city agencies are often required to award public food contracts to the lowest responsible bidder.
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When these students came to me with a problem, I made a commitment to them that their voices would not be ignored—and within months, we made government work on their behalf.
What started as a classroom project turned into real action because their advocacy was clear, thoughtful, and impossible to overlook. I wanted this to be a defining moment for them—to see that their local elected official listened, took them seriously, and delivered—installing new trash baskets along their block
Our schools don’t run without the people who keep families connected, informed, and supported every single day.
I had the honor of presenting citations to over 30 District 8 Parent Coordinators—leaders who show up for our students and their families in ways that often go unseen, but never unfelt. From navigating resources to building trust between schools and communities, their work is essential to how our education system actually functions.
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Council Member Amanda FarĂas sponsored and hosted the 2026 Garifuna Celebration with performances from Wabafu Garifuna Dance Company Theater and Cumbe: Center for African and Diaspora Dance. Blanca Arzu, Arturo Martinez, and Barbara Neil Bennett were each honored with a New York City Council Proclamation.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2026
NEW YORK, NY – Following today’s vote of the New York City Council, Council Member Amanda FarĂas was appointed Chair of the Committee on Women and Gender Equity, where she will lead the Council’s legislative and oversight efforts to advance equity, safety, and economic security for women, trans, and gender-nonconforming New Yorkers.
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What an incredible turnout at our Fall Festival in Soundview Park! Families from across #District18 came out to celebrate the season with us! Special thanks to @bronxbpgibson and @amemeritatorres for coming out to join us 🧡
From the pumpkin patch and haunted obstacle course to the double giant slide, airbrush tattoos, and face painting, the park was alive with laughter and excitement.
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The Bronx has welcomed tens of thousands of people who came here in search of a better life. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is the system’s capacity and political will to support them.
Over the past two years, thousands of asylum seekers and immigrant families have come to our borough. Without access to work permits, many turned to selling food, clothes, and essential goods on the streets to survive.
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