NYN Media Buzz: Dec. 4, 2017

The New York City Council passed legislation on Nov. 30 that would require the Administration for Children’s Services to annually disclose the findings and recommendations of child fatality reviews issued in the previous calendar years. This new report would include a total number of child fatalities known to ACS as well as the age, gender, race, ethnicity and cause of death of each child. The agency would also have to include details of any policy changes made in response to reported fatalities. New York City Councilman Rafael Salamanca, Jr. was the lead sponsor of the legislation, which passed the council unanimously.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand urged fellow lawmakers on Dec. 3 to oppose any long-term spending deal that does not include a provision to resurrect the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Hundreds of thousands of undocumented people who came to the United States as children face deportation next year unless Congress reaches a deal to protect them. But Gillibrand said two pieces of legislation could allow them to stay in the country. The first called the BRIDGE Act would codify the DACA program while the DREAM Act would create a process for those who arrived before the age of 18 to eventually receive citizenship. New York nonprofit leaders who joined Gillibrand outside her New York City office in urging action on DACA, including representatives from Make the Road New York, the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights, New York Immigration Coalition, Asian American Federation, Hispanic Federation, CUNY DREAMers, Bronx Immigration Partnership and Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice.

Madison Square Boys & Girls Club raised more than $1.5 million at its 51st Annual Christmas Tree Ball held in New York City on Dec. 1. The event included a tribute to George J. Gillespie III, a former board member who died earlier this year. Danish fashion model Helena Christensen, NFL cornerback Buster Skrine, model Damaris Lewis were among those in attendance at the event. Proceeds will go towards operating costs and programming that benefits disadvantaged city youth.