Radio Free Bay Ridge

Get ready for our biggest episode yet! Five local activists cram into our tiny study to fill in the gaps of our NY11 Congressional Democratic Primary coverage. We heard from the candidates, now it's your turn! We'll cover transit, the environment, women's health issues and family leave, campaign finance, the primary fundraising process, and much more! We also check in on local news and events for...

The #MarchForOurLives movement isn't just some nebulous national event. Right here in our neighborhood, local students are organizing and demanding answers from us and our elected officials. Today, we sit down with John Papanier, who helped organize the recent Staten Island Town Hall For Our Lives. We spoke about what it is like to be a part of the #MarchForOurLives movement and what barriers are...

Bay Ridge is a neighborhood of immigrants. Even when Bay Ridge was not much more than farmland on the Narrows, we have been a landing spot for numerous waves cultures and ethnicities. Bay Ridge doesn't exist in a bubble, so today we are breaking our hyper-local-only format to discuss the international affairs that affect our neighbors. Today, were going to learn about the longstanding Yemeni commu...

On our final Congressional Contenders interview, we are happy to talk with Radhakrishna Mohan, a civic leader and Executive Board member of the New York State Public Employees Federation. Mohan discussed his lifelong Union background, both in India and Staten Island, and his experience organizing on a state-wide level. We talked about the role Unions play in being a watchdog for dangerous federal...

Today we are pleased to welcome Omar Vaid to our seventh Congressional Contenders episode. Omar spoke with us about the centrality of Unions to his campaign, as well as his core message of protectionism for American industry. We also spent time discussing how unions intersect with healthcare, social security, congestion pricing and education. Finally, we touch on the similarities between Omar's us...

Swinging by the studio today is Max Rose on our sixth Congressional Contenders episode. Max spoke with us about the centrality of public safety to a holistic social-services overhaul that threads through healthcare, Opioid addiction, gun violence, policing, infrastructure, and more. We also got into the weeds on criminal justice reform, especially the Conviction Review Unit that Max observed first...

Today we welcome Paul Sperling to the fifth episode of our Congressional Contenders series. We sat with Paul to discuss his plans for improved rail infrastructure, workers cooperatives, bringing large employers to Staten Island, and improving healthcare in the district. We also touch on the green economy, cannabis legalization, and improving education in the district with debt forgiveness, free tr...

In part four of our Congressional Contenders series, we sit down with Zach Emig, an MIT engineering graduate and bond trader who announced his candidacy all the way back in May of last year. We'll discuss Zach's long haul on the NY11 campaign trail and dig into his "Narrows Agenda" for improving the district. We'll discuss corporate and income taxes, the opioid epidemic, technology, and immigratio...

A few months ago, Poly Prep reached out to us to ask if we would be interested in recording a new, public event series called Context: Conversations at Poly Prep. The first lecture, with professor and historian Jeremi Suri, was a quick but wide-ranging lecture discussing the evolution of the Office of the President throughout American History as discussed in his new book The Impossible Presidency....

UPDATE: Mike DeCillis has sadly dropped out of the race as of 2/26/18. In part three of our Congressional Contenders series, we sit down with Mike DeCillis, a former EMT, retired police officer, and an attorney and special-ed teacher. We'll discuss Mike's long career including deep-dives into healthcare, pharmaceuticals, police training, vocational education and disability rights, and labor law. W...

For progressives and activists in Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, and beyond, our local Community Board is an often overlooked vestige of community empowerment that is crying out for more engagement. In our wonkiest episode yet, we'll introduce our local Community Board Ten and explore it from all sides. We'll hear from political aides, long-time board members, and activists. Along the way, we'll dive i...

Join us in celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by listening in to the sounds and speeches of the 3rd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. March in Bay Ridge, focusing on fighting back against Racism, Militarism and Poverty. The march was co-hosted and organized by Bay Ridge for Social Justice, Fight Back Bay Ridge, South Brooklyn Progressive Resistance, The Arab American Association of N...

In part two of our Congressional Contenders series, we sit down and chat with Michael DeVito Jr., a Non-Profit Director, mediator, and former Marine Staff Sergeant. We'll discuss what it's like helping at-risk youth on Staten Island and whether local organizations can serve as a model for nation-wide initiatives to combat opioid use, gun violence, and economic inequality. We also touch on the role...

Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights have some of the worst overcrowding conditions in the city. How can we, as citizens, advocate and expedite a brand new school in the district? We'll map out a path, with some help from our newest Councilperson Justin Brannan, and discuss the pitfalls and process that lead to a new school within the next four years. Check out our shownotes at www. RadioFreeBayRidge.org

Major Boyd Melson, US Army Reserves, kicks off our first in a series of interviews with the Democratic challengers for Staten Island and South Brooklyn's Congressional seat in 2018. We'll discuss stem-cell research, spinal cord injury research, non-profit charity work, and the opioid epidemic. Stay tuned after the podcast for Boyd's endorsement in the race! Check out the show notes at www. RadioFr...

Today we look at how Bay Ridge Nativism affects the neighborhood discourse (and thus, our politics). We'll interview former and current Bay Ridge residents, as well as political candidates, to see what they think. We'll explore different ways of looking at Bay Ridge based on where and when you were born. Does an emphasis on birthplace and/or residency drown out and discourage other voices and opin...

Today we bring you the uncut recording of one of Dan Donovan's "Coffee with your Congressman" events, held at David Boody Jr. High School in Gravesend, Brooklyn on November 12th, 2017. Be sure to check our shownotes at www.radiofreebayridge.org for analysis on some of his questions, such as the Republican Tax Plan, Net Neutrality, Reproductive Rights, the Estate Tax, the Excelsior Scholarship, Hea...

We sit down to discuss the last few City Council debates for District 43. Rachel is joined in the studio by Kayla Santosuosso, former AAANY Deputy Director and Campaign Manager for the Khader El-Yateem campaign, and Mary Hetteix, debate organizer and member of South Brooklyn Progressive Resistance. Website: www.radiofreebayridge.org Our guest music is “Here It Comes” by Fred Zorn; reach him at 1bo...

Welcome back to another Special Episode of Radio Free Bay Ridge. Today, we bring you the uncut audio from October 24th at the Arab American Association of Bay Ridge's City Council debate between Democratic candidate Justin Brannan, Reform Party candidate Bob Capano, and Republican candidate John Quaglione. The debate was held at IS 30 in Bay Ridge, and co-sponsored by Fight Back Bay Ridge and Sout...

Special Episode! While we work on our next episode on Nativism, we bring you the raw and unedited recording of this past Tuesdays District 43 City Council Debate between John Quaglione, Justin Brannan, and Bob Capano, hosted by the Bay Ridge Community Council. Also, be sure to attend next Tuesdays debate, hosted by the Arab American Association, at IS 30 on 4th Ave and Ovington. It's on October 24...

In our first episode, Rachel and Dan briefly discuss the Mayoral race and local City Council races, before going into a deeper discussion on Republican City Council hopeful John Quaglione's "Eyes on the Street" crowdsourced NYPD video surveillance program. Among the topics covered in our deep dive: the efficacy of surveillance as a deterrent, data security, Fourth Amendment rights, police oversigh...