News 12 Brooklyn’s Post: The former Macy’s building in Downtown Brooklyn is lit up again, now glowing with vibrant fuchsia and purple lights as part of an installation called “In Every Transition, A Pattern” by Masary Studios.
Funded through a city program that awarded 13 public realm grants totaling just over $1 million, the project aims to reactivate commercial corridors and is a welcome change for some residents.
City and business leaders say the display is meant not only to beautify the vacant storefront, but also to boost foot traffic and support local businesses along Fulton Street.
Opinion: Maybe instead of handing out millions in taxpayer money to “friendly” nonprofits to create the illusion of a comeback, the city should cut—or even suspend—property taxes for both residents and businesses (yes, like “horrible Trump” has suggested) and make rent in that building affordable for real stores. What we’re getting now isn’t revitalization—it’s glowing, empty windows: retail ghosts.
At this point, it feels less like rebuilding and more like turning New York into a Potemkin showcase—lights on in vacant buildings to convince “tourists from the West” that progressive socialism is thriving.
NYC Council Members Allegedly Said Trump Is a Pedophile and Labeled the GOP “Fascist.” Will Republicans Sue Them?
A protest rally titled “Hands Off Our History” was held at 9:30 a.m. on February 12, 2026, at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City. Organized by NYC Council LGBTQIA+ Caucus co-chairs Council Member Erik Bottcher and Council Member Chi Ossé (who represents the 36th District), the event protested the Trump administration’s removal of the rainbow Pride flag from the monument.
Multiple speakers, including NYC council members (e.g., Chi Ossé, Crystal Hudson, Tiffany Cabán, Julie Menin), assembly members (e.g., Tony Simone, Deborah Glick, Grace Lee, Alex Bores), and allies like Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, condemn the action as an attempt to erase LGBTQ+ history and visibility. They describe it as part of broader attacks on queer rights, reproductive rights, immigrants, and civil liberties. Key themes and statements include:
Accusations that Donald Trump is a “pedophile” (explicitly stated by Chi Ossé and echoed by others like Tony Simone, who calls him the “pedophile-in-chief”) and that his administration is using distractions to cover up crimes. Labeling the Republican Party as “fascist” and the Trump regime as authoritarian, petty, and divisive. Emphasis on Stonewall’s historical significance as the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement (referencing the 1969 riots as resistance). Calls for unity among queer people, allies, and marginalized groups, with chants like “We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re not going anywhere.” Plans to re-raise the pride flag at 4 PM that same day, defying the federal government. The rally frames the flag removal as symbolic of larger efforts to undo progress in civil rights, and speakers urge ongoing resistance and joy in the face of oppression. Regarding whether the GOP (Republican Party) will sue Chi Ossé or other speakers: As of now (just hours after the rally), there is no public indication or announcement of any lawsuit from the GOP, Trump, or related entities in response to these statements. Defamation claims over calling someone a pedophile or fascist could theoretically be pursued, especially against public figures, but would require proving actual malice (knowing falsehood or reckless disregard for the truth) under U.S. law (e.g., New York Times v. Sullivan standard). Political parties like the GOP rarely file such suits directly; it’s more common for individuals like Trump to do so personally (he has a history of defamation lawsuits, though many fail). Given the recency of the event and the protected nature of political speech at protests, any legal action remains speculative and unlikely to be immediate. If new developments emerge later today or beyond, they would likely appear in news reports.
Good morning. Good morning, Bill. Is everyone ready? You don’t look very cold at all.
Good morning, everyone. Good morning. I don’t think we’re loud enough.
Good morning, everyone. Good morning. We are here at a cold 930 in the morning because this is just not right.
The federal administration would rather erase us than build us up and show what America truly is. And given that, I’d like to pass this off to my co-chair, the amazing council member, Chiyo Se. Thank you so much.
Good morning, everyone. Good morning, everyone. You know, I can go on and on about what Stonewall means and what our history means, but Donald Trump and the Republicans and the fascist party simply don’t give a fuck.
What I will go in on is that Donald Trump is worried about the wrong letters in the alphabet. He’s worried about L. He’s worried about G. He’s worried about B. He’s worried about T. He should be worried about P, pedophiles. This is all a distraction.
This is all a distraction from the fact that we have a pedophile in the White House. He is trying to infringe upon our rights as queer people to distract from the fact that he is a criminal and that he is covering up the crimes that him and his friends have committed. So while we can stand here, and also I will say, and I’m not encouraging anyone to do this as an elected official, but the most Stonewall thing that we could possibly do is put that flag up ourselves instead of waiting for the president.
But no one listen to me when I say that. As co-chair of the LGBTQ caucus, it is our responsibility to protect our history, to protect our people. That’s something that we will continue to do day in and day out.
This is not policy. This is personal. And we will continue to stand up, to make noise, and to put pressure on our pedophile of the United States and making sure that he cannot destroy what we all have created.
Thank you very much. And I will pass it off to one of the former co-chairs of the LGBTQ caucus of the New York City Council, Council Member Crystal Hudson. Thank you.
Thank you so much and good morning, everyone. I’m Crystal Hudson. I represent a district in Brooklyn.
But I’m also proud to have been a co-chair of the LGBTQIA plus caucus in the New York City Council. I want to start by saying we’re here, we’re queer, and we’re not going anywhere. I want to note that this is Black History Month.
Black history is queer history the same way queer history is black history. Our history cannot and will not be erased. We are much stronger than that.
So let’s say it together. We’re here. We’re queer.
Okay, hold on, together. We’re here. We’re queer.
And we’re not going anywhere. And now I’d like to introduce my former co-chair of the caucus, Tiffany Caban. What’s up, y’all? My name is Tiffany Caban, and I’m one very proud queer council member from Queens.
We got the queens in Queens. And I just, you know, I was having a conversation earlier where we’re constantly asking each other, like, how are you doing? How’s your heart? And while these moments are difficult and they’re frustrating and they’re angering, the thing that filled my body in that moment was to say I feel loved and I feel held down by my family that’s here with me. And my hope is that I am showing up in a way where you feel loved and feel held down because we got us.
Trump is trying to undo every piece of progress over the last century. And it’s not just the wins that are secured by our movement for queer liberation, but he’s trying to redo segregation. He’s trying to undo gains in reproductive rights and gender justice.
The list goes on. And one way, and we’re seeing an example of this behind us, one way is by trying to destroy our collective memory and our historical touchstones. But our roots are alive.
We are the living proof that our roots are alive. Plants don’t live without their roots. You can try to take our touchstones, but that will not make us go away.
We won’t be silenced, and we will not forget. We’re not going back. And we’re going to reclaim our touchstones and our monuments.
And we’re going to fight like hell to continue the fight for liberation, the fight for dignity, the fight for joy, the fight for freedom. So we got us. And like my colleague said, we’re here, we’re queer, and we’re not going anywhere.
Thank you. Next up, I’d like to bring Assemblymember Tony Simone. Good morning, everyone.
I’m Assemblymember Tony Simone. I just want to first say a message to the queer LGBTQ questioning kids and children out there. You are part of the human family.
Don’t let them tell you different. I was lucky enough to grow up, and my parents accepted me, but so many more in this world are not. And now we have a president of the United States, the pedophile-in-chief, who wants to distract us.
And as Harvey Milk used to say, is when leaders can’t solve real problems, they manufacture an enemy. They target the other. They divide us so they can cling to power.
We’ve seen it in the past year. And I know so many of us are angry, so many of us are sad, but you must remember to have gay joy as well. And I’m also, like many others, fired up because there’s no way we will stand for this.
We’ve been here before. You tried to not acknowledge us in the past. You had a different name.
You had different minions around you. But here we are again. And your minions, like Stephen Miller and all the idiots that follow you like a cult, a message to you.
We rose up before. Stonewall was not just a parade. It was a protest.
It was resistance. It was a riot. It was our trans kids of color, along with their allies, in a gay bar who refused to take it anymore.
They had the police baton them. Is that the word? Beat them. Throw them down.
But they refused it. They resisted. And here we are again.
And I have a message to our allies and the few left moderate Republicans. We need you by our side because first they come for the immigrants, like you’ve seen in our streets with the secret police. And now they’re coming for us.
The flag is more than a piece of cloth. It’s a symbol of how diverse we are. The colors stand for joy and harmony.
Even the pink color that’s not on the flag anymore once even stood for sex positivity. But they don’t want to acknowledge that. They want to erase us.
We’re not going anywhere. We will grow in numbers. Get off your couches.
We need to rise up in this nation. LGBT allies, immigrants, the other, those that they’re trying to suppress for their fascism. Because at the end, we are many more of us than there are of you.
And this is our America too. And by God, that flag will go back up. For every flag you take down, ten more will go up.
And now I’d like to bring up the Speaker of the City Council, Julie Menon. Thank you so much. Well, first of all, I want to thank our incredible co-chairs, Justin Sanchez and Chi Osei.
I want to thank them for organizing this. We stand united to demand the return of this flag. This rainbow flag represents love.
It represents inclusion. It represents tolerance. It represents everything that our city stands for.
And when that first brick was thrown in 1969, that caused hope to ripple across our city and across our country for the LGBTQ community. So yesterday, I want to thank Councilmember Sanchez and Councilmember Osei because we sent a letter to the National Park Service to demand the return of the flag. Now, if you think about it, the fact that we even need to be here today is outrageous.
It’s unconscionable. It’s unacceptable. This is an effort by the Trump administration to erase the LGBTQ community, and we will not stand for it.
So we are here with a loud and clear voice to say, return the flag. Are we going to say, return the flag? Return the flag. Return the flag.
We are about to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of this country. How can we be celebrating this anniversary when this flag has been taken? And it was taken in the middle of the night. There was no discussion.
There was no warning. It was taken. And that is why we are here today, this incredible coalition.
I want to thank all the elected officials. I know many of my colleagues who are here. Thank you for being here.
We will not rest. We’re going to speak out. You will see us here every single day until the flag is returned.
Thank you. I’m going to take a moment of personal privilege. I came out the closet 10 years ago.
10 years ago, I would never have thought that I’d be leading the LGBTQIA plus caucus of the city of New York, standing alongside so many elected officials, our Speaker of the City Council, as we fight back together in unity. But my story is not unique. It’s a story of so many kids from Brooklyn, from the Bronx, from all over our city, that don’t know if they see a city, a state, a country that is reflected in them and requires leaders like us to stand up and fight back together to show community what is possible when we unite as one body, rather than fighting amongst each other, but uniting against the bigger fights that rather divide us apart.
And one of those leaders that has recently been elected to the state Senate is here with us today. And I’d like to bring up Senator Eric Boucher. Former co-chair of the LGBTQ caucus in the city council.
Thank you, Councilmember Sanchez. Thank you, Councilmember Osei and all my former colleagues at the city council who are here. I want to give a big, big thanks, especially to all the straight allies who are here.
It’s so incredibly meaningful to have you standing with our community. That means so much. It’s so critically important.
This is not a fight that we have asked for, but this is a fight that we will win. Because we have been subject to persecution for thousands of years. We have always persisted.
In the end, we always win. And that is what is going to happen here. This American flag was put up yesterday.
And that was simply a… What they’re trying to do is set us up to take down the American flag and pit the rainbow flag against the American flag. We’re not going to do that. We’re not going to do that.
Because the rainbow flag is completely compatible with the American flag. Because our movement, the LGBTQ rights movement, is an American civil rights movement. Our country was born out of a struggle for liberation, a struggle against persecution.
Our movement is another chapter in the history of our country. Our country that is flawed in so many ways. But we are part of a story.
Part of a story of seeking that perfect union. Where all people are treated truly equal. And that’s what our movement is about.
And all we’ve ever wanted to do is just live our lives. That’s all we want to do is live our lives. They’re coming after us.
They’re coming into our monument. Taking down our flag. Trying to provoke us.
Trying to erase us. Because make no mistake, they do wish that we didn’t exist. They do wish that we didn’t exist.
But guess what? We’re here. We’re queer. We’re here.
We ain’t going anywhere. We’re putting that flag up today. At four o’clock.
We’ll see you here. We speak a lot about trailblazers in our community. But there is one trailblazer that has defined LGBTQ rights and the fight in this city.
And that is the Honorable, the Assemblymember, Deborah Glick. Woo! Thank you so much for being in the district. Let’s be clear.
This is a petty, mean-spirited, and cruel regime. This is a regime that has at its heart hatred and a desire to divide people, create chaos, to distract all of us from the way in which they are building an authoritarian regime right in front of us. It is happening.
This is just one symbol of their attempt to tell a community that they are going to come after us and chase us into the shadows from which we emerge. We are not going back. We have fought other attempts to make us feel small, make us feel the other, make us feel that we don’t matter, that we don’t count.
But we know the truth. They’re scared. They see their numbers cratering.
So they want to go after marginal groups, whether it’s immigrants, whether it’s the LGBTQ community. It is what we learned, and maybe not enough people learned history. But in the last century, in Germany, they put the Jews as the other, demonized them.
And the result was that people were afraid for themselves. So they were happy to have someone else taken away, just as people in some communities are happy to have immigrants taken away, because at least it’s not them. We have to stand together against this rolling fascist regime.
And we are here today to say this community, this community will not stand for it. Thank you. Thank you.
And there is a leader who has defied the odds and who represents the largest constituency, our Manhattan Borough President, Brad Hoylman Siegel. Thank you, Councilman. Hello, Speaker.
Hello, colleagues. What an inspiring morning to wake up to. I’m Brad Hoylman Siegel, the 28th Manhattan Borough President and the first LGBTQ Borough President.
You know, today is Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. And Abraham Lincoln famously once said, a house divided against itself cannot stand. And we are here because we are not a house divided.
We are a house united. We are united. Thank you.
We are united across communities, across the city and state of New York. And we are here to say that our presence, our presence, our queer history, our LGBTQ history, our transgender history is American history. And the history that happened here back in June 1969 will never be forgotten.
It is history that sparked the international human rights movement for LGBTQ people. We honor it here. We are on hallowed ground.
We speak united in that Donald Trump and his minions in Washington cannot and will not erase us. Am I right about that? So today, so today at 4 p.m., we will be gathering again here. And I hope many of you will join us.
And we will re-raise our pride flag in the memory of those whose shoulders we stand on, who fought for LGBTQ equality and who point the direction forward for generations of queer Americans. Thank you very much, council members. And we would not be here as a community or can stand as strong as we can without the help of our allies.
And I’d like to bring up Assemblymember Alex Boris. Good morning. I’m doing great.
How are you? I’m pissed off, though. That’s how I am. The Trump regime is doubling down on their prime direction with their prime directive, which is oppression.
They are making active choices. They’re not doing this passively. It is an active choice to take down this flag.
It is an active choice to get rid of all references to trans people on government websites. And we have a word for those choices. And the word is erasure.
They are trying to erase this community. They are trying to erase history. But what Donald Trump can’t understand or won’t understand is that LGBT history is New York City history.
LGBT history is American history. And nothing he can say or do or change will ever change that fact. So, yes, Stonewall was resistance.
Yes, Stonewall was a riot. And we will resist this regime trying to erase this community. We stand with each other and we stand in defiance of this active attack.
Thank you. I’d like to now bring up Assemblymember Grace Lee. Good morning.
Today we stand here at Stonewall, the birthplace of a movement that fought to refuse erasure and fought for our dignity. This pride flag is more than a cloth. It is a symbol of the LGBTQ community’s history, their resistance, and their resilience against discrimination and injustice.
We know this fight isn’t new. It began right here in 1969 and it continues today. We will not let those stories be rewritten.
We will not let the visibility of the LGBTQ community be taken away. We are here to say pride is not optional. Pride is not something that can be taken down.
The flag will rise again. Thank you. And now I’d like to bring up my city council colleagues, Virginia Maloney and Sylvina Brooks Powers.
Good morning, everyone. I mean, I think it was said earlier today that in 2026, we shouldn’t be here today for an issue such as this. But what we see is a continuance of an administration working to divide a nation.
We must understand that while we may not personally identify as LGBTQ+, we need to stand in solidarity with each other. Today, it’s our friends. Tomorrow, it could be us.
We see an administration that has attacked black and brown people, that has vilified diversity. We have seen an administration that has harassed the immigrant community. And now we have seen, as the assemblywoman said earlier, the most pettiest action of all, the removal of a symbolic flag.
Look around. We are that flag. We reflect a beautiful mosaic here in New York City.
I am so grateful to have been born in New York, to be able to know diversity, to be able to love people where they are. And I am a proud ally. And I will stand shoulder to shoulder with the community.
And we demand that that flag is placed back up, because we will not erase anyone in New York City, because that’s not the city that we are. Thank you. Thank you.
I am proud to be standing here with all of my colleagues across government and with the LGBTQ caucus to say that we will not tolerate these hateful actions by the Trump administration. We are on hallowed ground, and we are standing here united to fight back. And we will be here at 4 p.m. to put that flag back up.
Thank you for all your support. I want to thank everyone for coming here today. You know, this is just the start of a big movement together, where we join hands and show not only this city, this state, and this country what the LGBTQIA plus community is all about.
And we will see you here at 4 o’clock when we show the federal administration. You can take down our flag, but we’ll put that shit right back up.
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New York City is recruiting lifeguards now (yes, in winter) to prepare for the summer season and keep pools and beaches safer. Qualifying tests are held across all five boroughs through the winter, and February 28, 2026 is the last day to register. To qualify, applicants must be at least 16 by July 18, 2026, pass a vision exam (with specific minimum vision standards), and complete a 50-yard swim in 50 seconds or less using proper form. City officials say more lifeguards means more open swim time, more lessons, and a safer, more enjoyable summer for everyone. Registration and details are on NYC Parks’ Lifeguard Qualifying .
Mayor Zohran Mamdani today announced three new appointments to lead critical agencies and offices across city government. Mayor Mamdani appointed Lisa Gelobter as New York City’s Chief Technology Officer and Commissioner of the Office of Technology and Innovation; Nisha Agarwal as Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People With Disabilities; and Lisa Scott-McKenzie as Commissioner of the New York City Department for the Aging.
A recognized leader in social impact and digital equity, Lisa Gelobter will serve as New York City’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Commissioner of the Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI).
Commissioner Gelobter brings decades of experience at the intersection of technology, public service, and social impact. Most recently, Commissioner Gelobter founded tEQuitable, which helps organizations identify and address systemic workplace culture issues and uses technology to make workplaces more equitable. Commissioner Gelobter served in the Obama Administration as Chief Digital Service Officer at the U.S. Department of Education, where she focused on improving access to government services and boosting outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations. Commissioner Gelobter also worked as Interim Chief Digital Officer at BET Networks, dedicated to entertaining, engaging, and empowering the Black community. She has been recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the 100 Women Building America’s Most Innovative and Ambitious Businesses and named to Fast Company’s list of Most Creative People. Commissioner Gelobter is one of the first 40 Black women to have raised more than $1 million in venture capital funding and helped pioneer several foundational Internet technologies, including Shockwave, Hulu, and the ascent of online video.
As CTO and head of OTI, Commissioner Gelobter will oversee the city’s technology infrastructure, cyber security efforts, and data management initiatives. She will focus on using technology to expand access to vital city services and advancing digital equity across New York City.
“I’m deeply honored to be appointed by Mayor Mamdani at a moment when technology is reshaping nearly every aspect of civic life. Technology impacts how people experience government every day — from accessing services to trusting that systems work fairly and responsibly. As CTO and Commissioner, my focus will be on using technology in service of the public good: improving delivery, strengthening accountability, and ensuring innovation reflects the needs of all New Yorkers,” said CTO and OTI Commissioner Gelobter. “I’m excited to work alongside the extraordinary team at OTI, our partners, and communities across the City to deliver technology that truly works for everyone.”
“Lisa Gelobter’s decades-long career as a computer scientist, innovator, and entrepreneur has been defined by her commitment to leveraging technology for the public good,” said Mayor Mamdani. “I am honored that she will bring that same vision and leadership to City Hall as our next Chief Technology Officer.”
“New York City needs leaders who are smart, creative, and deeply committed to advancing the public good. Lisa Gelobter is all three. No matter where she works, Lisa brings a relentless belief in the ability of technology to uplift and empower people — to create a country where every person can access and afford an education, to create a tech industry where every person can deepen their skills and find a job, to create programs where every person can participate and get ahead. I am excited to see her bring that belief to the Mamdani Administration,” said State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. “Working in the trenches with Lisa at the U.S. Department of Education when I was U.S. Secretary of Education for President Obama, I saw first-hand Lisa’s intelligence and work ethic, her compassion and kindness, her commitment and drive. Congratulations to Mayor Mamdani on an excellent appointment and congratulations to Lisa on this extraordinary opportunity.”
“Lisa Gelobter is the real deal. I’ve seen firsthand how she cancels bad contracts without hesitation, builds teams that deliver, and always puts the needs of everyday people first,” said Erie Meyer, former CTO, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “She listened to overwhelmed students who were getting ripped off by for-profit schools and published the truth in open data. Lisa is fearless when it comes to making sure government serves the people it’s supposed to serve and that taxpayer dollars deliver real value. That’s exactly the kind of CTO you want leading technology in the middle of an affordability crisis. Bad actors should be on notice — Lisa will make sure city tech works for New Yorkers, not just well-connected companies.”
“Lisa is absolutely the right person at the right moment to be leading technology efforts in the Mamdani Administration. We have backed her as an entrepreneur for nearly a decade and seen her in action advising startups how to work with the public sector. Her unwavering commitment is to closing gaps of access, opportunity and outcomes for low-income communities and communities of color,” said Mitch and Freada Kapor, Founding Partners, Kapor Capital. “Lisa is dedicated to using tech to create more inclusive and fair workplaces, and to make services more accessible, more respectful and more cost-effective. Our experience tells us that Lisa will make a transformative difference for her fellow New Yorkers.”
“Lisa Gelobter has always been a catalyst for change. She brings the rare combination of deep technical and digital service design experience, and a lifelong commitment to equity that New York City needs in its next Chief Technology Officer,” said Noel Hidalgo, Executive Director, BetaNYC. “From helping shape the early internet and streaming media to improving federal digital services in the U.S. Department of Education, she has consistently demonstrated how technology can deliver real results for the public. We are excited about the opportunity to work with a CTO who understands that modern, accessible, and trustworthy digital infrastructure is essential to a city that works for all New Yorkers.”
“New Yorkers excited about Mayor Mamdani’s vision should be thrilled with his choice for OTI Commissioner and CTO,” said Jennifer Pahlka, author, Recoding America, and founder, Recoding America Fund. “Lisa is a wise and seasoned tech leader who has proven she understands more than technology. She knows how to make government work for people.”
About Nisha Agarwal
An accomplished public interest attorney as well as public servant, Nisha Agarwal will serve as Commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD).
Working across the public, advocacy, and legal sectors, Commissioner Agarwal has dedicated her career to empowering vulnerable New Yorkers. Commissioner Agarwal previously served as the Executive Director for Policy and Communications at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Division of Mental Hygiene. She also served as Deputy Executive Director for Impact and a Senior Advisor at International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), a global legal aid and advocacy organization. Under the de Blasio administration, Commissioner Agarwal led the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs — building landmark initiatives like IDNYC, the city’s municipal identification card, and Cities for Action, a national advocacy coalition of local elected officials. Commissioner Agarwal also served as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives, where she worked to boost civic engagement among New Yorkers and build DemocracyNYC’s efforts on immigration, people with disabilities, and justice involved communities. Before entering city government, Commissioner Agarwal led the Health Justice Program at the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, served as Deputy Director and Co-Founder of the Center for Popular Democracy, and worked as Executive Director of the Immigrant Justice Corps.
As head of MOPD, Commissioner Agarwal will work across city government and with the disability community to make sure that every New Yorker can access the city’s spaces, services, and resources.
“I am honored to be the commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities. All of the priorities that Mayor Mamdani supports are critical for people with disabilities: affordable housing and food, access to health and mental health, free transportation, education equity, and employment opportunities,” said MOPD Commissioner Agarwal. “I will work with and on behalf of disabled New Yorkers to tackle these issues and ensure that people with disabilities are at the forefront for creating this city more livable for all.”
“It’s not enough for New York City to be affordable for everyone — it must be accessible to everyone, too. With decades of experience in public service, Commissioner Agarwal will help our administration deliver on that mission and build a city where every New Yorker can succeed,” Mayor Mamdani said. “From housing to health care to education, Commissioner Agarwal will work across government to break down barriers and ensure that our administration delivers for New Yorkers with disabilities.”
“New York’s most vulnerable populations rely on steady leadership in government to make our city more accessible, livable, and affordable,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga. “I am so proud to welcome these outstanding public servants — each of whom brings a wealth of experience in their respective fields — to the administration. Every voice should be heard and valued, and I look forward to working alongside the incoming commissioners to ensure New York is a city where everyone can live to their full potential.”
“New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI) applauds Mayor Mamdani’s appointment of Nisha Agarwal as the commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities,” said Ruth Lowenkron, Director, NYLPI’s Disability Justice Program. “NYLPI has worked with Ms. Agarwal extensively over the years, including in her role as executive director for policy and communications at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and as executive director of the International Refugee Assistance Project, where she started up a disability justice program. Her lived experience as a person with disabilities, as well as her advocacy on behalf of the disability community, make her an excellent candidate for the job, and we look forward to working with her.”
“Nisha Agarwal will be a tremendous partner and advocate for disabled New Yorkers as Mayor Mamdani’s Commissioner for the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities,” said Joe Rappaport, Executive Director, Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled. “We congratulate her. As in her past work with us, we know she will listen to New Yorkers with disabilities, fight for us and work inside and outside the administration to advance equal access and equity for our community.”
“Nisha Agarwal is a dedicated public servant and we are thrilled to see her serve as the next commissioner for the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities,” said Roderick Jones, President, Goddard Riverside. “At Goddard, we help thousands of community members get the supports needed to live with dignity and respect. But we cannot do this without partners who understand diverse communities, the barriers they face, and how to ensure they have what they need to thrive. As a lawyer with both nonprofit and government leadership experience, Nisha has the combination of knowledge, creativity, and heart needed in City Hall to ensure New Yorkers with disabilities have equitable access to services and opportunities. We will be excited to work with her towards a more accessible New York City for all.”
About Dr. Lisa Scott-McKenzie
A longtime city employee and community leader, Dr. Lisa Scott-McKenzie will serve as Commissioner of the New York City Department for the Aging (NYC Aging).
Dr. Scott-McKenzie has served the North Brooklyn community for nearly four decades, most recently as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at New York City Health + Hospitals/Woodhull. In that role, she shepherded multi-million-dollar construction projects and helped lead key divisions across the hospital, including Facilities Management, Engineering, Central Sterile, Environmental Services, Emergency Management, Biomedical Engineering, Patient Relations, Social Work Services, Hospital Police, Environment of Care, Support Services, Ancillary Services, Public Affairs, Community Affairs and Patient Experience Divisions. For her work leading H+H Woodhull, Dr. Scott-McKenzie was voted one of the Top 50 COOs in the world and received a 2024 OnCon Icon Award. Dr. Scott-McKenzie is also a Certified Emergency Manager, serving as Incident Commander for events ranging from the Y2K Conversion to the Northeastern Blackout in 2003 to Superstorm Sandy in 2012. She began her career in 1986 as a Stenographic Secretarial Associate in Radiology at NYC H+H.
As the head of NYC Aging, Commissioner Dr. Scott-McKenzie will help make sure that older adults can access the housing, health care, and city services they need to age in New York City.
“It is my distinct honor to have been selected by Mayor Mamdani to serve New York City seniors and older adults and be a strong advocate for affordable housing, enhanced safety, food and economic stability as well as to take measures to ease the effects of loneliness,” said NYC Aging Commissioner Dr. Scott-McKenzie. “Our seniors have earned the right to age gracefully with dignity and respect in the city that we love. I will work tirelessly to make this a reality.”
“We want to make sure the seniors who shaped our city can stay in it — with an affordable place to live, accessible parks to enjoy and reliable access to the benefits they’ve earned. NYC Aging is central to that mission, and I can’t think of a better person to lead it than Dr. Scott-McKenzie,” Mayor Mamdani said. “From helping oversee our public hospital system to coordinating emergency responses during major crises, Dr. Scott-McKenzie has dedicated her career to protecting, uplifting and empowering New Yorkers. She has fought relentlessly to make government work for the people who need it most, and I’m excited to bring her leadership and experience to NYC Aging.”
“With so many older adults who are food insecure, in need of affordable healthcare, and suffering loneliness in New York City, I am super excited to welcome Dr. Lisa Scott-McKenzie as the new Commissioner for the Department for the Aging,” said New York City Councilmember Lynn Schulman, Chair of the Health Committee. “I have known Dr. Scott-McKenzie for almost two decades and worked alongside her at H+H/Woodhull where I witnessed firsthand how she treated those most vulnerable among us. She is smart, warm and kind. I know our city’s older adults (of which I am one) will be in good hands under her leadership.”
“I congratulate the Mamdani Administration on the appointment of Dr. Lisa Scott-McKenzie as Commissioner for the Aging. As a former Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services and DFTA Commissioner, I believe that Dr. Scott-McKenzie’s experience in the healthcare field, her compassion and her management skills will enable her to make a real difference in the lives of the aging population of New York City,” said former Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Lilliam Barrios-Paoli. “Her commitment to addressing critical issues being faced by so many seniors, such as increasing poverty and isolation, unstable housing and food insecurity, make her appointment an important statement by the administration. I am sure that the seniors, the provider community and the advocates in the field will be well served by this appointment.”
“We at LiveOn NY congratulate Dr. Lisa Scott-McKenzie on her appointment as NYC Aging Commissioner and we are excited to begin this new chapter of aging in New York City,” said Allison Nickerson, Executive Director, LiveOn NY. “As our city ages we must ensure that we are doing everything we can to make sure we have the housing and services we need to remain vital members of our communities. We are looking forward to working with Dr. Scott-McKenzie to make New York a better place to age.”
Mayor Mamdani announced the appointments at the SAGE Center Brooklyn at Stonewall House, which provides LGBTQ+ seniors with a welcoming space to access culturally competent services, community spaces, and digital resources.
Video: Mayor Mamdani Announces Opening of Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center.
Feb 9, 2026First ever rec center in Central Brooklyn and now borough’s largest rec center will serve over 41,000 New Yorkers.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the opening of the brand-new Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in East Flatbush. He was joined by NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, State Senator Kevin Parker, Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, and Councilmember Farah Louis. The new center is the first new Parks recreation center in over a decade, the first ever in Central Brooklyn, and the largest recreation center in the whole borough. Located in the heart of Little Haiti, the center is expected to serve residents of East Flatbush and Midwood, with over 41,000 New Yorkers living within a 15-minute walk or transit ride of the new center. The approximately 74,000-square-foot recreation center provides space for swimming, team sports, exercise, educational programming, and even A/V production in a media lab. Like all Parks recreation centers, discounts are available for New Yorkers of all ages, and membership is entirely free for people 24 years and younger. The center will fully open to the public on Tuesday, February 10. For the first week, all New Yorkers will have the opportunity to use the brand-new center for one free day of their choosing, prior to becoming members. Parks is also hosting guided tours, registration events, and demonstrations to help New Yorkers experience what the new facility has to offer. Now Brooklyn’s largest recreation center, the Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center includes brand-new fitness resources for New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds, including: • Competition-sized 6 lane pool, including a ramp, chairlift, and stairs so all visitors can comfortably enter the water regardless of ability • Three lane walking track • Competition-sized gym perfect for basketball, pickleball, and volleyball • Exercise rooms for cardio workouts, weightlifting, and spin classes The center also features spaces for events, classes, and relaxation, including: • Teaching kitchen • Afterschool space with its own outdoor play area • Dedicated teens-only space with supervision • Dr. Roy A. Hastick Sr. Media Lab with a mixing room for A/V production • Multipurpose rooms for events and classes The new center is named for Shirley Chisholm, the Brooklyn-born politician who became the first African American woman to serve in Congress, representing Brooklyn in the House of Representatives from 1969 to 1983 Shirley Chislom Recreation Center 3002 Foster Avenue Brooklyn February 9, 2026
– Today ( February 6, 2026), at the first annual Interfaith Breakfast (The NYC mayor’s interfaith breakfast was established as an annual tradition by Mike Bloomberg in 2002, ) of his administration, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced sweeping new actions to uphold New York City’s sanctuary city laws and protect immigrant New Yorkers. The breakfast brought together nearly 400 faith and community leaders from across the five boroughs.
During the event, Mayor Mamdani signed a comprehensive executive order to reaffirm the city’s commitment to being a sanctuary for all New Yorkers. The order protects the privacy and data of immigrants and all residents; bolsters restrictions on federal immigration enforcement on city property; initiates an audit to make sure city agencies are complying with sanctuary laws; and establishes a committee to coordinate crisis response across city government in the event of escalating federal immigration actions or other major events.
Mayor Mamdani also launched a citywide “Know Your Rights” push, distributing nearly 32,000 flyers and booklets in 10 languages for faith leaders to share with their congregations. The materials provide clear, accessible information about New Yorkers’ rights during interactions with federal immigration authorities, including the right to remain silent, the right to speak to an attorney, and the right to a translator.
“Across this country, day after day, we bear witness to cruelty that staggers the conscience. Masked agents, paid by our own tax dollars, violate the Constitution and visit terror upon our neighbors,” said Mayor Mamdani. “That is why this morning, I am signing an executive order that will strengthen our city’s protection of our fellow New Yorkers from abusive immigration enforcement. This order is a sweeping reaffirmation of our commitment to our immigrant neighbors. We have also prepared 30,000 guides to New Yorkers’ rights in ten languages spoken by some of the most heavily targeted populations in our city, teaching our neighbors what to do if ICE comes for them. These guides are here today, ready for you to take. If you run out, we will print more. I urge you to share these with your congregants — even those who are citizens, even those whom you think ICE may not target. These materials apply to us all: those who have been here for five generations, those who arrived last year. They apply to us all because the obligation is upon us all. To love thy neighbor, to look out for the stranger.”
Executive Order 13
Executive Order 13 takes critical steps to keep not only immigrant New Yorkers but all New Yorkers safe from aggressive, unlawful, and xenophobic federal actions as well as deepen trust between New Yorkers and their city government.
Executive Order 13 reaffirms that information collected by city agencies for city purposes must remain protected and cannot be shared with federal immigration authorities, except as required by law. Under the order, each agency has 14 days to appoint a privacy officer, conduct training, and certify compliance with sanctuary protections limiting information sharing.
Executive Order 13 also makes clear that city property — including parking garages, parking lots, schools, shelters, hospitals, and other public spaces — is for city purposes only. Federal authorities may not enter city property without a judicial warrant. The order also directs core agencies to develop and distribute training for city employees on how to interact with federal immigration authorities.
Moreover, Executive Order 13 requires agencies — including the NYPD, New York City Department of Correction (DOC), New York City Department of Probation (DOP), Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), and Department of Social Services (DSS) — to conduct comprehensive audits of all internal policies governing interactions with federal immigration authorities, update protocols and guidance as needed, and provide public transparency into any new policies that are created as a result.
Finally, Executive Order 13 establishes an Interagency Response Committee to coordinate crisis policy across city agencies and ensure a whole-of-government response.
“Know Your Rights” Push
As part of the new “Know Your Rights” push, the city is distributing nearly 32,000 flyers and booklets to faith institutions across New York City. The materials are available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, French, Bangla, Russian, Arabic, Kreyole, Urdu, and Yiddish – languages spoken by those most targeted by federal immigration crackdowns.
The materials outline key rights and options during encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including the right to remain silent, the right to ask for a judicial warrant, the right to speak with an attorney and the right to request an interpreter. They also explain New York City’s sanctuary laws and provide information about the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Legal Support Hotline.
The hotline — available Monday and Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM; Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM; and on the last Saturday of each month from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM — offers free information and referrals to immigration legal assistance at 1-800-354-0365. During his remarks, Mayor Mamdani called on faith leaders to help ensure this information reaches every corner of the city by distributing the flyers to their congregations.
Below are Mayor Mamdani’s remarks as prepared for delivery:
Good morning. What a privilege it is to be here with you all. I join everyone present in sending our best wishes to Rabbi Schneier, and our hopes for a quick recovery.
And I know that many of us are shocked by the news that we’ve just heard from Pakistan, where dozens of people were killed in a horrific attack on a Shia Mosque. Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilaihi raajioon.
I look around this room, and I see the faces of friends I have marched with through searing heat and bracing cold. People I have mourned alongside, celebrated alongside, organized alongside. And I see so many others I have only just met, but whom I am eager to work alongside to improve New York.
And I see those whom the people of this city turn to for guidance and grace. This city may have only one Mayor, but it has countless leaders. When our neighbors seek to make sense of a world where sense is not there to be found, they often turn first not to those they elected, but to you.
Thank you for welcoming me today — and for all that you do, in ways seen and unseen, for those you serve.
I was raised in New York City as a Muslim kid with a Hindu mother. I celebrated Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha with my family, lit diyas in Riverside Park for Diwali, and like any New Yorker, encountered faiths different from my own. I still remember coming home from a friend’s Bar Mitzvah one night and demanding an explanation from my father. “Baba,” I asked, “Why don’t Muslim kids have Bar Mitzvahs too?”
And over the past fifteen months, as I ran to become Mayor of our incredible city, that encounter only deepened as I came face-to-face with the living tapestry of faith that is New York.
Faith, we’re told, is the belief in things unseen. And while it certainly took faith to imagine a thing truly unseen—a path to victory—it was nothing compared to the faith I saw New Yorkers summon just to make it through the day. Faith that the bus would arrive. Faith that somehow, some way, the rent would get paid. Faith that a leader would place the concerns of the many before the interests of the few.
I saw that faith everywhere. On subways and street corners, at forums and front doors. And increasingly, as the winter snow melted into the renewal of spring and then the heat of summer, I found it where many New Yorkers return, week after week, in search of meaning.
You welcomed a stranger into your sanctuaries. And whether we were together at Shul, at church services on Saturday or Sunday morning, at a Gurdwara or a mosque or a mandir or a temple, New Yorkers told me of the worries they hold close, the dreams they refuse to let go.
What a gift they gave me. Not just understanding New York better — but understanding how close we truly are.
Because for all our different faiths, we share a common belief: that our city can be restored, and it must. That the wealthiest city in the wealthiest country in the history of the world has enough for everyone to live a life of dignity. That we need not worship the same God to share the same values, or to fight for the same future.
If anything unifies every religion across our city, it is an understanding of faith not solely as a tool for reflection, but as a call to action.
Standing before you today, I think of Deuteronomy 10:17-18, which describes the lord as one who: “shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the orphan and the widow, and loves the stranger residing among you, giving them food and clothing.”
Over the past fifteen months, New Yorkers of all faiths built a movement inspired by that cause of the orphan, the widow, and the stranger.
Seniors spent hours making phone calls to strangers because they believed every kid deserves child care. If that is not defending the cause of the orphan, what is?
Neighbors climbed six-floor walkups to knock doors because they believed a single mother in a rent-stabilized apartment should be able to sleep easily on the last night of the month, knowing that her rent would not climb the next day. If that is not defending the cause of the widow, what is?
And today, my friends, I want to reflect on the third charge: loving the stranger.
Across this country, day after day, we bear witness to cruelty that staggers the conscience. Masked agents, paid by our own tax dollars, violate the Constitution and visit terror upon our neighbors. They arrive as if atop a pale horse, and they leave a path of wreckage in their wake. People ripped from their cars. Guns drawn against the unarmed. Families torn apart. Lives shattered—quietly, swiftly, brutally.
If these are not attacks upon the stranger among us, what is?
This cruelty is no faraway concept. ICE operates here in New York. In our courthouses. Our workplaces. They skulk at 26 Federal Plaza—the same building where I waited in fear as my father had his citizenship interview.
If these are not attacks upon the stranger among us, what is?
ICE is more than a rogue agency — it is a manifestation of the abuse of power. And it is also new. It was founded only in 2002. Four Mayors ago, it did not exist. Its wrongs need not be treated as inevitable or inherited. In fact, there is no reforming something so rotten and base.
I think of a story that Reverend Galbreath — the senior pastor at Clarendon Road Church — shared recently. Two Haitian immigrants in his congregation, a father and son, had traveled to 26 Federal Plaza for fingerprinting. The man’s wife, the boy’s mother, had gone the week before without incident. They thought little of the trip. It was routine. In New York, surely one would be safe at an appointment like this.
And then, without explanation or warning, they were whisked away. ICE took them first to the Brooklyn Detention Center. The next day, they were flown to Louisiana. They felt hopeless and helpless, Reverend Galbreath said. Hopeless and helpless.
If these are not attacks upon the stranger among us, what is?
As the federal government attacks our neighbors — those who worship in the next pew over — they command us not to believe what we see. They compel us, as George Orwell wrote nearly eighty years ago, “to reject the evidence of our eyes and ears.” And they would succeed, were it not for the many among us who have not only read the scripture, but who live the scripture—those who refuse to abandon the stranger.
I speak of Renee Good, whose final words to the man who murdered her moments later were: “I’m not mad at you.”
I speak of Alex Pretti, who died as he lived, caring for the stranger. Here was a man who held the hand of the afraid and the afflicted in their final moments. Here was a man who dedicated his life to healing those he had never met. ICE shot him ten times because he did something they could never fathom doing themselves: he extended his arm towards a stranger—not to push her down, but to help her up.
I speak of the tens of thousands across our city and nation who took to snowbound streets in the dead of winter, refusing to allow those with the most power to impose their will upon those with the least.
If that is not love for the stranger among us, what is?
In a moment such as this, I look to the Bhagavad Gita, which teaches us that the highest calling is to become someone “who sees the true equality of all living beings and responds to the joys and sorrows of others as if they were their own.”
Each of us has been a stranger at one point in our lives. Each of us has known the feeling of arriving somewhere new alone, of depending on the kindness of someone else. As ICE fosters a culture of suspicion and fear, let this city of strangers set an example for how to make the sorrows of others our own. Let us offer a new path — one of defiance through compassion.
In so doing, we can offer something more expansive and durable than a mere rejection of atrocity. We can rely on our faith to offer an embrace of one another. After all, few forces hold as much power to extend humanity to all. As Dr. King once said: “The church is the one place where a doctor ought to forget that he’s a doctor. The church is the one place where the lawyer ought to forget that he’s a lawyer. When the church is true to its nature, it says, “Whosoever will, let him come.”
That doctrine—whosoever will, let him come — is not limited to Christianity. Each of our faiths asks the same of us.
I think of Exodus 23:9, the words of the Torah: “Thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Few have stood so steadfast alongside the persecuted as Jewish New Yorkers. I think of Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman, who gave their lives alongside James Chaney so that all could exercise the right to the franchise. I think of Rabbi Heschel and marched from Selma alongside Dr. King. And I think of Yip Harburg, born on the Lower East Side, who wrote ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow,’ and uplifted Americans waiting on breadlines during the Great Depression.
I think of the freedom from suffering that Buddhism teaches us is only possible if we remove the three poisons of desire, hatred, and ignorance from our daily lives. We need not accept suffering as unchangeable. We need not treat hatred as the natural state. We have the power to set ourselves free.
And I consider my own faith, Islam, a religion built upon a narrative of migration. The story of the Hijra reminds us that Prophet Muhammad (SWT) was a stranger too, who fled Mecca and was welcomed in Medina. Sura An-Nahl 16:42 tells us: “As for those who emigrated in the cause of Allah after being persecuted, we will surely bless them with a good home in this world.”
Or, as the Prophet Muhammad (SWT) said: “Islam began as something strange and will go back to being strange, so glad tidings to the strangers.”
If faith offers us the moral compass to stand alongside the stranger, government can provide the resources. Let us create a new expectation of City Hall, where power is wielded to love, to embrace, to protect. We will stand with the stranger today, tomorrow, and all the days that are still to come.
That is why this morning, I am signing an executive order that will uphold our city’s protection not just of our fellow immigrant New Yorkers — but of all New Yorkers — from abusive immigration enforcement.
This order is a sweeping reaffirmation of our commitment to our immigrant neighbors and to public safety as a whole. We will make clear that ICE will not be able to enter New York City property without a judicial warrant. That means our schools, our shelters, our hospitals, our parking lots.
We will protect New Yorkers’ private data from being unlawfully accessed by the federal government and stand firmly against any effort to intrude on our privacy. No New Yorker should be afraid to apply for city services like child care because they are an immigrant.
This order will mandate that essential city agencies are complying with city laws and conduct thorough audits of all policies guiding agency interactions with immigration authorities.
And it will establish an Interagency Response Committee, so that in the event of a major crisis, we are ready and equipped to do the job of protecting New Yorkers. We will create a centralized mechanism for coordinating policy across agencies, so that government speaks with one voice in times of need.
City Hall will not look away.
But we need our faith leaders with us. Your moral clarity, your integrity — they are the pillars upon which countless movements for justice have been built. Many of you have long practiced the tradition of supporting the forgotten and the downtrodden. When our immigrant neighbors are in trouble, they often turn first to their faith networks — for counsel, for legal aid, for someone to accompany them to court.
Today, I call upon you to help us give language to courage. Help us remind New Yorkers that they are not alone.
We have prepared 30,000 guides to New Yorkers’ rights, in ten languages spoken by some of the most heavily targeted populations in our city, teaching our neighbors what to do if ICE comes for them. These guides are here today, ready for you to take. If you run out, we will print more.
I urge you to share these with your congregants — even those who are citizens, even those whom you think ICE may not target. These materials apply to us all: those who have been here for five generations, those who arrived last year. They apply to us all because the obligation is upon us all. To love thy neighbor, to look out for the stranger.
If we are truly to champion the cause of the stranger, let these materials serve as instructions for how to stand in solidarity. If anything can turn back the rising tide of hatred, it is a chorus of those who worship differently and live differently, singing the same undaunted song.
For we are all New Yorkers. And yet that has not always been accepted.
My friends — for as long as people have called New York home, a question has been contested: who is a New Yorker? At each juncture, many have sought to narrow the answer. The stranger has been ostracized on job postings, on placards denying entry to restaurants and shops, in neighborhoods where only some New Yorkers were allowed to live. Every conceivable crack has been exploited into a chasm of division.
On every occasion where the forces of darkness have raised the question, “Who is a New Yorker?” The people of this city have offered our own answer. All of us.
And yet we know that that answer is not permanent, nor is it predetermined. Each generation must assert what we know to be true, because New York serves as living proof—we are stronger when we welcome the stranger.
This will not be an easy contest. Those on the other side, the ICE agents of the world, hold power and weaponry and a sense of impunity. And yet, we hold one advantage over them, one advantage that no matter how hard they try, they cannot overcome, as they mask their faces to attack and murder: we are not ashamed of our answer.
So let us answer the question — who is a New Yorker? — once more, with conviction, and without shame. It is all of us.
So together, New York, let us advance the cause of the orphan.
Together, New York, let us advance the cause of the widow.
Together, New York, let us love the stranger among us, because we are them, and they are us.
