Category: Events

A series of news coverage of GHC after the safe injection site was installed in Dec 2021

Despite our years of complaints about the excessive number of drug treatment programs and harm reduction programs in Harlem, the government doubled down and added the Nation’s first safe injection site in Harlem on 126th Street without community inputs. We participated in a protest for Fair Share (see more about the protest in this page and our video) and below are some of the ensuing news coverage related to the topic:

1. WNYC interviewed GHC members during the protest:

https://www.wnyc.org/story/harlem-residents-push-back-against-opioid-clinics-after-data-shows-most-are-used-non-residents/

2. PBS News Hour coverage of site injection site and the issue of oversaturation

3. Gothamist in-depth coverage of the over-saturation conditions in Harlem

https://gothamist.com/news/harlem-residents-protest-against-opioid-clinics-after-data-shows-most-are-used-non-residents

4. Black News Channel’s interview of our founder

5. CBS Interviewed our founder

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/12/11/protest-against-supervised-injection-centers-in-east-harlem/?amp

6. NY Post’s report on the rally. Sadly, the Post distorted our intent in the title. We protested to ask for Fair Share. The protest does not target the safe injection site.

https://nypost.com/2021/12/11/hundreharlem-residents-rally-against-new-legal-shooting-gallery-in-neighborhoodds-rally-against-drug-programs-in-harlem/

7. Urban Omnibus issued a detailed research article about the conditions in Harlem

https://urbanomnibus.net/2021/12/unjust-treatment/?printpage=true

8. Patch reports first safe injection site in East Harlem and interviewed our Founder

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/supervised-injection-site-opens-in-harlem-in-historic-move/ar-AARj3w7

9. Audacy.com reports Al Sharpton’s concerns of oversaturation of Harlem

https://www.audacy.com/1010wins/news/local/rev-al-sharptons-group-to-protest-de-blasios-safe-injection-sites-we-cannot-be-complacent

10. New York Times’ first reporting of the safe injection site quoting our members:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/30/nyregion/supervised-injection-sites-nyc.html

11. Washington Post’s coverage quoting our members:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/11/30/drugs-supervised-consumption/

OASAS’s Opioid Treatment Program Locations’ Concordance with Racist Redlining Maps

To see the presentation by Shawn Hill at the Rockefeller Institute of Government’s Developing Evidence-Based Drug Policy Conference (October 14, 2021) see:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/14DyAjBrGWu8a9EoEP25N3B9J8gCtzsJUV2lYPjJ9Jyc/edit?usp=sharing

or watch the recording of the presentation:

Patch.com Reports on Harlem Oversaturation Pushback

Nick Garber posted: Drug Clinics Face Scrutiny In Harlem As Residents Push Back on Patch.com on March 24, 2021 and examined the “tax revolt” and a new community board resolution aim to stop the placement of drug treatment clinics in Harlem, citing safety concerns.

The influx of clients into Harlem each day has given rise to open drug use, discarded needles and filthy sidewalks, according to neighborhood advocates.

The piece examined Maria Granville’s Tax Revolt project and the work in CB11 to implement a moratorium on new substance use programs in East Harlem.

To read the full article, please see:

https://patch.com/new-york/harlem/drug-clinics-face-scrutiny-harlem-residents-push-back

Harlem Battles an Increasing Rate of Opioid Injections

“I was born and raised in Harlem,” says Maria Granville, “and I have never seen anything this bad.” begins an article by Karina Tsui on medium: https://medium.com/labor-new-york/a-community-battles-with-increasing-rates-of-open-opioid-injections-9cea139c963c

Granville, a board member at Harlem’s Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association, which is dedicated to revitalizing and preserving the neighborhood, is referring to a spike in open drug injections in the neighborhood. “Heroin use was pervasive, but we did not see hypodermic needles on the streets,” she recalls. “We did not see human feces on the streets.”

Earlier this month, the 64-year-old joined over 200 Harlem residents and local business workers to protest what they say is an oversaturation of opioid treatment facilities in the area, which has given rise to open drug use and exchange on the streets. Residents held up signs reading “Harlem Is Not A Dumping Ground!” and “Needle-Free Streets!” as they paraded across 125th Street.

Columbia University Journalists Cover Harlem Protest

“We are fed up,” said Laurent Delly, a Harlem resident and active community member. “Something needs to be done because enough is enough. I can not keep walking down my street and seeing people shooting up left and right.”

Columbia University journalism student Lucy Keller covered community members who protested on October 8th that only 24 percent of patients in Harlem opioid treatment programs are Harlem residents. The other 76 percent of patients travel to Harlem from other parts of the city because many New York City zip codes have no available opioid treatment programs.

“The issue is not that there are clinics,” said Ali Diini, a Democratic candidate running for State Senate District 30 in Harlem. “The issue is that they are clustered here in Harlem.”

The article “Harlem Residents Protest to Demand Action For Safer Streets” can be read in its entirety here:

View at Medium.com
https://medium.com/columbiajourn/harlem-residents-protest-to-demand-action-for-safer-streets-4c41df6327a3

Harlem Residents Demand Fewer Drug Clinics, Improved Quality of Life

Columbia University’s Olivia McCourry covered the October 8th, 2021 protest by Harlem and East Harlem residents who are fed up with the oversaturation of substance abuse clinics in our community. A number of politicians came to voice their support for the de-concentration of OASAS licensed methadone mega-programs while the commander of the 28th Precinct promised a new task force to patrol the streets.

See:

http://theuptowner.org/harlem-residents-demand-fewer-drug-clinics-improved-quality-of-life/

Protest at Gracie Mansion

We had a fantastic turnout at Da Homeless Hero’s amazing rally and march at Gracie Mansion on Saturday, July 10th.  

Our message that congregant shelters, poorly run shelters, and inadequate supportive housing are the root causes of many issues in both Harlem and New York City, was forcefully delivered by Madlyn.  Additionally, her call to dismantle the horrific and horrifically expensive congregate shelter complex (and, in its place, to provide supportive housing instead), was clear and powerful.

In addition to thanking Madlyn for her powerful words, we want to acknowledge the incredible work and vision of Shams to pull this all together.  The rainbow of passionate protesters, the news media, and the numerous NYC political leaders, candidates, and future leaders who attended, all highlight his incredible organizing skills and the justness of his advocacy.

Lastly, we want to spotlight Eva who has worked tirelessly on supporting Shams, organizing GHC around these issues, and being a clarion voice for housing justice.  Eva has done an amazing job and her work for both GHC and CB11 is incredibly awe-inspiring.

So, thank you Madlyn, Shams, and Eva, and thank you to everyone else who came out, brought signs, chanted, marched, and is helping to spread the word. 

Together we marched and are marching for a better Harlem, a better New York, and justice for all.

GHC Meeting on Wednesday, June 9th. 7:00 PM

The Greater Harlem Coalition will have an election season general meeting on Wednesday, June 9th, at 7:00 PM.

Please register in advance for this meeting:
https://fordham.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtceGgrz0iEtQ33Y651agCFqaH9_-Wu0hO

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

We will detail our outreach to political candidates, letter writing to city and state officials, our work with elected officials, and our social media campaigns – all to improve the quality of life in Harlem and East Harlem.

We look forward to talking about our plans for 2022, and getting your feedback on what our post-June 22 focus should be.

2021 Manhattan Borough President Candidates’ Forum – Video


To listen to the Greater Harlem Coalition’s 2021 Manhattan Borough President Candidate’s Forum, click the following link to the audio recording:

2021 Manhattan Borough President Candidate’s Forum Video Recording

2021 Manhattan Borough President Candidate’s Forum – Audio

To listen to the Greater Harlem Coalition’s 2021 Manhattan Borough President Candidate’s Forum, click the following link to the audio recording:

2021 Manhattan Borough President Candidate’s Forum Audio Recording

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