Tag: Transition

  • I was able to sit down with local music artist ‘victoria said‘ and discuss her solo project, her inspirations, and her upcoming releases. Victoria works as staff with my peers in Autisticana and we all are excited about her music and performances.

    Scott: How did you become a singer and songwriter?

    Victoria: I’ve been singing ever since I can remember. My parents got me a karaoke machine and I was always singing for my family in the living room. From Taylor Swift, Camp rock, high school musical, early 2000s hits, my house heard it all! I’ve taken guitar, vocal, and piano lessons for years. My twin sister Sasha has always been musical as well, she plays piano and sings. When we were like 12 we came together and did a duet for the first time. Our first cover was “Payphone” by Maroon 5. We posted it to YouTube and it became our thing to play covers and sing together. I also posted my own singing videos as well. I think I began songwriting as early as 12/13. They may have been a little cheesy but it brought me to where I am today.

    Who are your inspirations?

    Literally everyone. From people that I’ve grown up watching and listening to from Disney Channel like Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, to indie artists across multiple genres that come up on my Spotify, to local artists that gig and do shows around Long Island like me! My dad is into a lot of older music that he has introduced me to as well within the rock and folk genres. I absolutely love going to concerts too! That always inspires me. It makes me go home and write even more.

    What inspires you to songwrite?

    I’m inspired by my experiences and my relationships. The good and the bad are all part of life and I like to write beautiful songs that people can relate to.

    What does your artist name called ‘victoria said’ mean?

    ‘victoria said’ is about speaking through my songwriting. I have people asking me “Victoria said what?” All I say is to listen to my music, that’s what I’m trying to say!

    Tell me about your Music that you have already released.

    I have 2 singles are out currently. In Feb (2023) I released “Through (thank you),” which is a friend breakup song and the first single of my solo project. “hope you don’t sleep good tonight” was my second single and it was released this past April. This one has a striking title but it’s really talking about the intense emotions during a healing process, and that it’s okay to feel angry. “Lovely” is my newest single set to release on August 18. It is so catchy, fun, summery, and the perfect song for feeling nervous and falling in love.

    Are there any other new songs or projects in the near future?

    I just filmed a music video with my friends and a videographer, Liam, from Brooklyn for “Lovely” and it’s set to release in September! It was such a long day but so cool. I’ve never done a professional music video like that before! It was amazing planning and putting the vision together. All the songs that I’ve been working on since last fall will be part of EP coming very soon. I’ve been workin with Sarah Gross on Long Island- She’s been producing and mixing for me and it’s been an amazing experience.

  • When my twin brother Ryan and I were born prematurely both of us were 3 lbs and over two months early. I was diagnosed with moderate Cerebral Palsy (CP) at birth. Which means I have a brain hemorrhage in a very rare spot. My Cerebral Palsy affects my entire right side. When I was 22 years old I was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). POTS means my heart rate goes very high and if I stand up or change positions too fast I pass out and my blood pressure goes very low. My Cerebral Palsy makes my POTS even more challenging. When I was 24 years old I was diagnosed with Epilepsy. Epilepsy (seizures) my Epilepsy spot is right next to my brain hemorrhage. Which makes my Epilepsy even more challenging. On top of me having Cerebral Palsy and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. I have to carry my emergency seizure medicine and wear my Apple Watch at all times. My medical team at (St. Charles Hospital) is amazing. They go above and beyond for me. I don’t know where I would be with them. At every stage of my life, I learn and accept that my life is harder than typical people’s before all of my diagnoses. But that doesn’t stop me. Even with all of my diagnoses I’m still not letting them hold me back from what I do with my life.

     

    2 Education/Molly: All of my schooling was very challenging but I did it. Thank God that Individualized Education (IEP) was so detailed and grew with me. From Elementary school to College, I had to work twice as hard as my peers because of all of my learning disabilities as well as my diagnoses. Resource room teachers from Elementary school to High school were great at realizing that I was having trouble and trying to find a solution. I would always ask the teacher if I was having trouble or if they could tell me facial expressions. As I entered Junior school and High school the material got because I was in Regents level classes. Which meant more homework and tests. My stress levels increased. But they were almost therapists to me because they would try to find a solution. If that didn’t work they would have a meeting with my teacher. Between myself, my resource room teacher, and my class teacher we would usually find a solution or have extra accommodation for that class. By Senior year my IEP was the size of a textbook with all of my accommodations. Once I entered College for my Bachelor’s Degree I had to find a College that had a great disability program. If they didn’t have that program I wouldn’t succeed. If I had a problem with a teacher, even after I asked the teacher. They would tell the teacher and help to find a solution. I even had a guidance counselor (Leighann) that was my lifeline. I would email her every day, and I would have a weekly meeting with her. If I didn’t have I didn’t her wouldn’t have been successful. When I got my Master’s Degree my College also had a great disability program and my teachers would email me, to see if I was having any problems with the material. From Elementary school to graduating with my Master’s Degree I went to a lot of tutoring and extra help sessions to better understand the material. Since graduating with my Master’s Degree it’s been very difficult for me to find a job with all of my diagnoses. I’m currently trying to get a job with the government in healthcare administration and leadership, that’s what my degrees are. When I was in College I was suicidal from all of the homework, tests, and stress. My therapist told me to bond with my rescue dog, Molly, which helped a ton. Without bonding with her. There’s no doubt in my mind, Coach Steve, Coach Bob, Chloe, Charmaine, Leighann, and my medical team’s minds that I wouldn’t be alive today. During this time I joined Rolling Thunder Special Needs Program Para-Athletics without the head Coaches Steve and Bob, Chloe and Charmaine watched out to see if I was displaying any suicidal signs during practice, road races, and track meets I joined this Track and Field Team help me feel included without any judgment because everyone understands what I was through. They listened to me and did everything I needed to still be alive. Even when Molly passed during the Coronavirus-19 Pandemic, everyone was there for them checking in on me to see if I was okay and not displaying any suicidal signs. Without all of these people and Molly, I would’ve committed suicide. That’s another of the many reasons why I’m so appreciative of these people because they didn’t have but they wanted to.

    3 Obstacles To Challenges /Training For Summer Paralympics Paris 2024/Field Hockey:

    I’ve had many obstacles in my life. My medical team, Physical Therapists, and Occupational Therapists have been there the whole time. They have helped me turn everyday life activities that were insanely hard for me that turned into challenges because It’s very hard for me to use my right limbs, right fingers, and right toes even though I was stubborn and didn’t want to do them. But I had to be able to function in activities of daily life and be a successful functional person in society. I had to be successful to meet every goal the way they wanted which was “the correct way” or I failed the goal and had to keep working on the goal. I tried to find a shortcut for every goal but it didn’t work whatsoever. Even though all of these goals were hard to meet, I am a successful functional person in society. Thanks to their great work and for handling my stubbornness.

    As for my training for The Summer Paralympic Games in Paris 2024 for Track and Field. My Track and Field Team is (Rolling Thunder Special Needs Program Para-Athletics) which is for disabled athletes, most of my teammates have Autism. The head coaches are Steve and Bob. There have been so many obstacles because of all of my diagnoses. Trying to figure out a way that I could successfully run without falling, passing out, or having a seizure. At every practice, I wear my helmet to help in case of emergency. But I didn’t give up and my coaches and pacers on my team didn’t either. Trying to successfully finish practice has also been an obstacle to my safety. I have to have modified practice, wear my helmet, have extra water breaks, and have to wear cooling towels when it’s hot out in case I have an emergency. Even use Quench Gum and Jelly Belly Sport Beans before and during every practice, road races, and track meet. To help me not have an emergency. All of my coaches and my pacers know my faces when I display those symptoms that I’m about to pass out or have a seizure. Another obstacle that turned into a challenge was running road

    races successfully and not falling, passing out, or having a seizure. When I run road races I have my two pacers (Chloe and Charmaine) with me. One pacer is in front of me watching it to see if there’s a curb, a pothole, or if the road is uneven. My other pacer is next to me. I have to wear my leg brace, water hydration backpack, and helmet. In case anything happens to me. As well, in case I have a seizure they were taught how to give me my emergency seizure medication. That was difficult to solve, especially for my safety. My two pacers are amazing for keeping me safe. Even during the road race, they will not tell me what mile we’re at. They will only look at my Apple Watch which displays my heart rate. They’re constantly looking at my face to see if I’m about to pass out or have a seizure. Because they know my faces when I display those symptoms.

     

    In terms of throwing the Shot Put and Discus that was a challenge trying to figure out how I would hold them and successfully throw them. My coaches and I figured out a way that works for me. As of writing, I’m on the Long Island Track and Field Team and the New York State Track and Field Team which I was surprised about. But it’s all because of my hard work. Of course, all my coaches go the extra mile. But didn’t any of these challenges stop me from quitting the team. I’m indebted to all of my coaches for them not giving up on me. I didn’t stop because it was an obstacle for me. All of these obstacles have helped me compete in track meets, most of them I’m competing against typical athletes.

     

    Specifically, Training for The Summer Paralympic Games in Paris 2024 for Track and Field has been a challenge because I have to put in a ton of more work at practice, during the Road Races, and I have extra workouts that my other teammates don’t have. I have to a Paralympic Standards for the Cerebral Palsy (CP) category to be considered to compete in The Summer Paralympic Games in Paris 2024. Those Paralympic Standards for 100 meters, 200 meters, and Shot Put are very challenging, especially having moderate Cerebral Palsy (CP) because of the modifications I had to figure out and master to try to meet those Paralympic Standards as of this moment I’m writing this am I very close of meeting those Paralympic Standards. Each of my coaches, my pacers, and my personal I’m so thankful for to have them in my life. I’m currently 0.10 seconds off of the CP Paralympic standard for the 100 meters dash. I’m currently 15 seconds off of the CP Paralympic standard for the 200 meters dash. I’m 1.22 meters off of the CP Paralympic standard for the Shot Put. I’m currently 9 meters off the CP Paralympic standard for Discus. Running my last 5K (3.1 miles) road race I got a Personal Record by over 4 minutes.

     

    I also have a personal trainer (Ryan) from (Whit Fit/Oompf Fit-Club) helping to increase my strength on both sides of my body. Helping me enhance my sprinting form. He has done the same thing with my Shot Put and Discus form. Having me practice these skills during every session. These sessions aren’t easy at all. But my favorite exercise is pulling the sled. As I’m writing this, the most weight I pulled on the sled is 315 lbs. My best pulling the sled while sprinting is 220 lbs. As of me writing this. Pulling the sled makes me so happy and my trainer knows it. But it’s super challenging especially since my Cerebral Palsy right side doesn’t work as well as my non-affected side in every exercise. Especially my Cerebral Palsy fingers because it’s hard to hold the grips on all of the machines that I have use special grips that I can hold on to while doing strength exercises. I have no control of my right fingers and my right toes due to my Cerebral Palsy right side while also using machines hard to use. My trainer has to do twice the amount of work trying to modify everything because of my Cerebral Palsy but he’s willing to do it for me to achieve my goals. Which he doesn’t have to do. Again he goes the extra mile which I’m thankful for.

    I also play Field Hockey for (Long Island Field Hockey on their Field Hockey 4 All Team). That’s been an obstacle as well trying to figure out how to hold the Field Hockey stick with only my left arm because I can’t grip the Field Hockey stick with my right arm. Figuring out how to hold the stick, hit the ball, and run at the same time was a challenge to master. I’m grateful to my head coaches (Danielle and Mallory) for helping me to figure out how to play the game safely. I also have to wear my leg brace, my helmet, and a sports sling on my right arm since I can’t hold the stick, during practices and tournaments. I also made the National Disabled Program Field Hockey Team. I was shocked that I made the team. But I didn’t give up and neither did they.

     

     

    Having relationships with everyone that I wrote about in these blogs have been there in the happy times in my life as well the dark times of life. They were all listening to me, and were willing to find a solution, all at the time being so supportive it’s not even funny. I know that no one of the people had to do that but they were happy to do it. I will have a relationship with them. I have no doubt they will do anything for me and that’s why they will have a special part in my heart. There’s no way I’ll ever be able to repay them. I’m so thankful and blessed beyond belief to have all of them in my life and will have a relationship with them for the rest of my life.

     

  • It reveals that they’ll return to Futurama on Hulu during the summer of 2023. The producers announced that on February 9, 2022 that it will start with Season 11 and consist of two parts, with an initial run of 10 episodes by 2024.

    Futurama aired in 1999 on Fox, ending in 2003 after 4 seasons. Then the show brought a season 5 special, released on Comedy Central, and lasted until 2013 for season 10. However, the show was successful in comic books and advertising. Fox canceled Futurama but began airing reruns on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming block from 2003 to 2007. It was later revived in 2007 as four direct-to-video films, with the last one released in early 2009. Comedy Central then signed an agreement with 20th Century Fox Television to syndicate existing episodes and air the films as 16 new, half-hour episodes, which made up the show’s fifth season.

    Bender, Fry, and Lella are ready to deliver a package for something very important at Planet Express.

    The news was announced that Futurama would be back in 2022 and released in 2023.

    Futurama is a science-fiction animated TV series set in New New York in the 31st century and built in present-day New York City. The show features various technological advancements, including the Head Museum that keeps heads alive in jars, a slow internet with pornographic content, and robots with alcohol-powered engines contributing to global warming. The show also portrays a blend of current and historical figures and celebrities preserved as heads. Religion is prominent in society and has evolved into new religions such as Oprahism and Robotology. Futurama often parodies current issues of today and the science-fiction genre.

    In 2003, Cartoon Network acquired syndication rights to Futurama for its Adult Swim block, leading to renewed interest in the show. When Family Guy succeeded in direct-to-DVD productions, Futurama’s producers decided to try the same. In 2006, it was announced that four straight-to-DVD films would be produced, later split into 16 episodes comprising a fifth show season. The final movie release, Into the Wild Green Yonder, was designed to stand as the Futurama series finale. Still, Groening expressed a desire to continue the franchise in some form, including a theatrical film. Futurama left Adult Swim’s lineup on December 31, 2007, and began airing on Comedy Central the next day, with season 5 making its broadcast debut on March 23, 2008.

    Futurama is an American animated science-fiction sitcom Matt Groening created from 1999 to 2013. The show was revived in 2022 with a 20-episode order set to premiere in the Summer 2023 and the other 10 more episodes by sometime in 2024. It follows the intergalactic adventures of a company’s delivery ship workforce living in 31st-century New York. The show has received critical acclaim, with 17 Annie Awards and 12 Emmy Awards nominations, winning six and four Writers Guild of America Award nominations and two wins. It also received Environmental Media Awards for the episodes “The Problem with Popplers” and “The Futurama Holiday Spectacular.” Merchandise includes a tie-in comic book series, video games, calendars, clothes, and figurines.

    The series uses a range of humor, including self-deprecation, black comedy, off-color humor, slapstick, and surreal humor, to satirically portray everyday life in the future and parodically compare to the present. The show seeks to combine “low culture” and “high culture” comedy, playing on both the comedic value of Bender’s catchphrase, “Bite my shiny metal ass,” and his fear of the number 2, which is a joke about the binary numeral system.

    Futurama is a comedic animated series that uses a range of styles of humor, including self-deprecation, black comedy, off-color humor, slapstick, and surreal humor, to satirically portray everyday life in the future and make parodical comparisons to the present. It is produced by The Curiosity Company and 20th Century Fox Television (credited as 30th Century Fox Television) with animation done by Rough Draft Studios. It transitioned to high-definition in season 6, with the opening sequence being re-rendered and scaled to fit a 16:9 widescreen format. For the final episode of season 6, Futurama was completely reanimated in three different styles.

    Comedy Central announced in April 2013 that they would air the final episode of “Meanwhile” on September 4, 2013. The producers said they are exploring options for the series’ future as “[they] have many more stories to tell” but would gauge fan reaction to the news. Groening and Cohen have previously expressed a desire to produce a theatrical film or another direct-to-video film upon the conclusion of the series.

    In an August 2013 interview with Milwaukee Journal SentinelKatey Sagal said regarding the series finale, “So I don’t believe it… I just hold out hope for it because it has such a huge fan base, it’s such a smart show, and why wouldn’t somebody want to keep making that show; so that’s my thought; I’m just in denial that it’s over”. Sagal also mentioned during the same interview that Groening told her at Comic-Con that “we’ll find a place” and “don’t worry, it’s not going to end.”

    The producers of Futurama have said that they have many more stories to tell, and Matt Groening and David Cohen have expressed a desire to produce a theatrical film or another direct-to-video film upon the conclusion of the series. Katey Sagal also mentioned at Comic-Con that the producer told her they will find a place to continue telling stories in the Futurama universe, so the series is not definitively over.

    The Trailer of the Revival Series of Futurama, an 18 seconds clip, was released. The show will be released on the 24th of July.

    While the new viewers will be able to pick up the series from the start of a new era. In the meantime, long-time fans will recognize payoffs to decades of interesting long mysteries and treasures includes developments in the epic romantic love story of Fry and Leela, the mysterious contents of Nibbler’s litter box, the secret history of evil Robot Santa, and the whereabouts of Kif and Amy’s tadpoles. Epscially, there’s a new questionable pandemic in town as the crew explores the future of vaccines, bitcoin, cancel culture, and streaming TV. It also shows that a new revolution of the future and society changes to see the future than it they predicted when the show started. 25 Years later, the evolution of the future shows some significant progress in the future which it would be fictional of the reality or while some the predictions can be made in real life but in a different time zone.

    The Official Trailer has been released on the 27th of June which fans have waited for a long time to see Planet Express Crew go on new adventures and new futuristic events.
  • While United States, Canada and the United Kingdom had problems with financial issues and support for the people with disabilities. Countries that have a lot of money to support the system of Disabilities Rights. The Countries that give them successful services like Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Portugal. Japan, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Spain, Denmark.

    The viewership overseas, our goal is to increase viewership around the world to see our genius ideas of our brilliant minds which we want to expand viewership around the globe outside of the United States which it’s based on Long Island. During our first 2 years we had top 10 viewership from the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Australia, China, Ecuador, India, South Africa, Germany, Pakinstain

    I think in some countries that get resources and most international cities are very friendly that they can use transportation from anywhere since they most don’t drive a car like most of Europe has a great resource of walking places and town centre’s because it was the oldest landmarks of buildings in the world where everything is close which sadly most of the western countries had some access.

    The resources have extended media attention in recent years Since DLA is a non-diagnosis specific benefit, having an autism diagnosis does not guarantee eligibility; however, many kids on the autism spectrum do. Additionally, there is no means testing involved, so your income and savings are not taken into consideration.

    Some countries has great Support services while others doesn’t have the best system because it depends of the government and legislatives of each country.

    International lifestyles

    The changes of Disability rights

    • The GWS Giants Never Surrender Their Spot in the AFL Finals
      The GWS Giants had a chance to advance to the AFL Finals Series, which is known as their version of the playoffs. While Round 24 of the 2023 Season served as the regular season finale. With so many other teams vying for the same postseason spots, the Giants had to work extremely hard to perform … Read more
    • Autisticana Update Log II
      I’m aware that many tell me to share my emotions and open up. However, it’s not as easy. Opening up also means sharing and telling it how it is. The problem with my method, in keeping things silent and not speaking about it, makes things messy for me. Feelings matter… unfortunately, that’s something even I … Read more
    • Meet The Robinsons: Watching one of Disney’s Most Underappreciated Animated Films 16 Years Later
      Warning: Spoilers Ahead! In 2007, several years before beginning its new renaissance of renowned films like Frozen & Zootopia, Walt Disney Animated Studios released Meet The Robinsons, an animated film based on the classic children’s book A Day with Wilbur Robinson by William Joyce. It follows orphan and aspiring inventor Lewis who is struggling to … Read more
    • Our Field Trip to Fire Island
      The whole Autisticana crew went on excursion to Fire Island. Originally we planned on going to Ocean Beach but missed the ferry so we went to Kismet. Some of us almost missed the boat because we got on the wrong ferry terminal boat but the correct time. The crew on the ferry was nice enough … Read more
    • The Matildas vs The Lionesses:
      Both Matildas vs Lions had played their most competitive performance.This has been the biggest sporting event so far in Australia History while Australia plays against England. The Matildas were determined to get their first World Cup Finalists as the host since the USA did back in 1999. Tony Gustavsson was hoping if Australia could get … Read more
  • The Hudson Valley is experiencing gentrification as wealthy New Yorkers invest in local real estate and use Airbnb to experience the upstate lifestyle. This is leading to neighborhood conflicts and affordability issues. Efforts are underway to combat gentrification, including using land banks and community land trusts to move low- and middle-income residents from renting to homeowning. A 2017 study found that community land trusts help reduce gentrification’s effects by slowing displacement and keeping neighborhoods affordable. Several Hudson Valley cities are exploring using land trusts to combat gentrification. The media’s coverage of the region has also played a part in this phenomenon, with the New York Times promoting the business efforts of transplants and encouraging pioneers to take advantage of urban decay. The quest for radical community, whether driven by religion, politics, or art, has often been depicted as requiring a literal journey from the city to the countryside. Adrian Shirk’s book Heaven is a Place on Earth: Searching for an American Utopia explores the history of intentional communities in rural America, such as the Bruderhof community and Gate Hill Cooperative. However, Shirk’s search for a more communal life unintentionally illuminates rural gentrification, the migration of affluent urbanites and suburbanites to the country, which is often under-recognized. Shirk’s desire to not work as much and be around like-minded people led her to seek a more communal lifestyle. n Adrian Shirk’s book, she notes that rural living is not her first choice. While she dreams of moving upstate, her ideal commune does not require a view of nature but a cooperatively owned apartment building in an outer borough. However, Shirk admits that this scenario would lead to gentrification, so instead, she moves upstate where it is more affordable and doesn’t count as gentrification.

    The article discusses how gentrification is not just limited to cities but can also happen in rural areas. The author notes that the protagonist of the article, who moved upstate, is hesitant to acknowledge that her migration could contribute to gentrification. She fails to see the divide between high-end businesses and more traditional local spots when she is upstate. The article discusses the issue of gentrification in Newburgh, New York, and how it affects long-time residents and small business owners. Many are concerned about being priced out of the area as development continues and property values rise. This has led to tensions and anger in the community. Still, some are working towards solutions by inviting housing activists and neighbors to discuss including local people in the city’s success. There is also a recognition that it will take the entire community to work together to address the issue and prevent displacement. Similar challenges are being faced in other communities, including Rochester and Buffalo. Other communities, including Rochester, Buffalo, and Hudson, are also facing the issue, where property values are rising rapidly. Ward 2 Councilwoman Ramona Monteverde emphasizes the need for housing activists and small business owners to work together to prevent displacement and fight for laws and policies that benefit the local community. She plans to hold community meetings to discuss possible solutions to the problem. The article details a three-part series of dialogues and conversations called “Gentrification is Colonialism,” hosted by the Forge Project, a Native-led arts and decolonial education initiative based in Ancram. The series aims to explore the historical roots of gentrification in the displacement and genocide of Indigenous people, particularly in the Hudson River Valley, and to offer ways to counter its effects. Each panel, moderated by a local artist or organizer, will feature local activists and an Indigenous activist, architect, artist, or scholar in dialogue. The series is free and open to the public, and pre-registration is appreciated. The first panel, “Anti-Institutions and Indigenous Liberation,” will explore Indigenous models of refusal, resistance, and organizing with art and gentrification.

    Albany’s Reason

    Before the middle of the 20th century, Albany’s downtown neighborhoods were predominantly white, with large populations of Italian, Irish, and German immigrants. These areas, including the South End, Arbor Hill, and West Hill, were initially redlined in the 1930s as risky for investment by banks and realtors. At this time, these neighborhoods had few Black residents, while the majority of residents were foreign-born European immigrants. However, with the second wave of the Great Migration in the 1950s, the Black population grew rapidly every decade, reaching 16% in 1980. While the descendants of European immigrants were able to assimilate and buy homes or rent apartments anywhere in the city, this was not the case for Black residents, who were locked out of many neighborhoods due to discriminatory practices and policies. The neighborhoods in Albany, New York, were redlined in the past, leading to distinct borders that particularly affected Black residents, with socioeconomic differences stuck in certain parts of the city. Black residents knew not to cross certain borders and experienced police harassment when walking through white neighborhoods. Moving to the suburbs, the neighborhoods in Albany, New York, were redlined in the past, leading to distinct borders that particularly affected Black residents, with socioeconomic differences stuck in certain parts of the city. Black residents knew not to cross certain borders and experienced police harassment when walking through white neighborhoods. Moving to the suburbs. Albany’s Black population faced racist roadblocks that limited their access to suburbs like Colonie. These roadblocks included exorbitantly high rents or harassment from white neighbors. Black residents often worked low-paying jobs that didn’t allow them the capital needed for homeownership, leading many families to stay in the South End for decades.

    As the Black population grew, white flight caused the suburbs’ populations to boom while Albany’s population decreased. The suburbs offered little incentive for Black residents to leave Albany due to their overwhelmingly white demographics, and many who did move faced racism. Albany’s Black population growth coincided with white flight to the suburbs, causing a significant drop in the city’s overall population. The demographic shift in neighborhoods like West Hill was also partially influenced by public initiatives, such as school integration and public housing projects. The construction of Bleecker Terrace Apartments in the 1980s, which was public housing, co-integrated West Hill in a way it had not been integrated before, causing some white residents to be displeased. Before this development, West Hill was a predominantly white, working-class neighborhood.

    Between 1950 and 1980, Albany’s population decreased while suburbs like Colonie, Guilderland, and Bethlehem saw significant population increases. Colonie, in particular, became a popular destination for those looking to escape the city. However, because the suburbs were so predominantly white, there was often little incentive for Black residents to move there. For those who did, racism and harassment were common. Jasmine Higgins’ great-grandfather, a prominent Albany attorney, had his house in the predominantly white Buckingham Lake neighborhood burn down in a racially motivated incident. Jim Bouldin, one of the first Black families to move to Colonie in 1976, experienced racism and harassment from white neighbors and ultimately moved back to Albany, where he bought a brownstone in Arbor Hill. The South Mall project in Albany, now known as the Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza, displaced around 7,000 residents in 1963, including an estimated 1,000 Black residents. The displacement had unequal ramifications for Black and White residents, with displaced white residents fleeing to the suburbs while many Black residents remained in inner-city neighborhoods. The government’s response to the displacement was to build three public housing projects, one placed near an industrial zone, which tends to lower residents’ quality of life and physical health and exacerbate segregation. The South Mall project in Albany, now known as the Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza, displaced around 7,000 residents in 1963, including an estimated 1,000 Black residents. The displacement had unequal ramifications for Black and White residents, with displaced white residents fleeing to the suburbs while many Black residents remained in inner-city neighborhoods. The government’s response to the displacement was to build three public housing projects, one placed near an industrial zone, which tends to lower residents’ quality of life and physical health and exacerbate segregation. During the construction of the South Mall in Albany, the city’s Democratic machine controlled governance and citizens’ lives. The machine saturated the city with jobs, tax breaks, and support for loyalists who tended to be white and Catholic. When white residents fled to the suburbs, they sold their houses to landlords who then housed Black tenants in buildings that were in terrible conditions, prompting civil rights groups to demand the city to crack down on slumlords. A series by journalist William Kennedy in the Times Union exposed these conditions, but some critics blamed residents for their living situations, leading the paper’s editorial board to mollify them by stating that they did not mean to sympathize with those who chose to live in filth.

    The Towns that are on the list that are n a startup is Albany, Binghamton, Syracuse, Rochester, Kingston, Middletown, Port Jervis, Ithica, Johnstown, Saratoga Springs, Rome, New Amerstdam, Hudson, Schenectady, Watertown, Oneonta, Elmira, Jamestown and Plattsburgh.

    Central New York

    In the past few years, the downtown core has improved significantly, which can be partially attributed to the construction of student housing projects, resulting in a few thousand students in the middle of downtown. There are also some good breweries, bars, restaurants, and stores that are not overrun by college students. Utica is a city in New York dubbed the “second-chance city” and the “city with a warm heart” due to its openness and support for refugees. However, integrating refugees into the community has proven challenging, as many are employed in low-wage, night-shift jobs with limited opportunities for advancement. While the city is optimistic about the return of manufacturing jobs to the area, it’s unlikely that refugees will be able to take advantage of these new positions due to their lack of formal education. Otisco Street, located in the Salt District of the Near Westside, was once a dilapidated, lifeless street with broken windows and graffiti. However, a group, including Syracuse University, The Gifford Foundation, and Home HeadQuarters, worked together to create the Near Westside Initiative to revitalize the area. Today, Otisco Street is home to a diverse group of individuals, including a family, artists, architects, educators, and social workers dedicated to changing the neighborhood from the inside out. Despite the challenges, these settlers were drawn to the area by the opportunity to make a positive impact and affordable homes, some costing only $1.

    Syracuse

    As part of Syracuse’s ambitious $800 million plan, the affordable housing complexes underneath Interstate 81 will be transformed with a new neighborhood where low-income people can live next to those who pay the average rent in the city. It will also mark the end of the oldest public housing in the state, an assortment of gated-off condominiums built with institutional brick that were constructed in 1938 just south of Syracuse. City planners are anticipated to request the first $50 million from the federal government in the form of grants to review the ideas. They are looking for doctors who can walk up the hill to work to live in the same neighborhoods as those who take the bus to minimum-wage jobs in nursing homes and retail establishments. Depressing blocks of apartment buildings in Syracuse’s most severe neighborhoodswould be replaced by modern, colorful townhomes and multi-story structures with high-end appliances along tree-lined, walkable walkways. There would be no more enclosed courtyard parking lots attracting behavior that is antisocial Parks on every unit, a grocery store, communal gardens, better educational institutions, and more opportunities for employment can be all on the agenda. They hope that the people who ride the bus to work at nursing homes and retail stores will be able to live in the same houses as doctors who can walk up the hill to work. They want doctors who can walk up the hill to work and live in the same neighborhoods as those who ride the bus to laborers employment opportunities such asnursing homes and retail shops.

    They are ready to hand a plan to the state and federal government at the same time there is political will to lift a neighborhood suffering from every ill of concentrated poverty. They expect there will be millions of state and federal dollars available as part of the I-81 rebuild and federal spending on infrastructure. The government erected a highway overpass through the Black area known as the “15th Ward” in the 1950s and 1960s, tearing it apart. Now that the highway has outlived its useful life, the government officials have pledged to rebuild it in a way that makes amends for previous mistakes. Blueprint 15 is a non-profit entrusted with reinventing the area. The nonprofit was established by the city of Syracuse, the Syracuse Housing Authority, and the Allyn Foundation, which is fighting poverty using revenues from the sale of Welch Allyn. They are prepared to present a strategy to the state and federal governments at the same time that there is political will to lift a neighborhood suffering from every ill associated with concentrated poverty. In Syracuse, planners have spent ten years anticipating directives from the top down. However, the 4,000 people who reside there are quite concerned about the reconstruction. The housing authority has promised, and the federal government requires, to ensure it will provide a new apartment to each person who currently resides there. Some residents are pleased with the adjustment. Others have apprehension of getting evicted from their residences and lacking companions they rely on. “I know it will be different, entirely different, and I apologize. “I’m sad,” Alice Daigle, who has lived in Pioneer Homes for 40 years, said. Residents pushed for themselves and city planners around the country to ensure the project has been finished with dignity. The structures of being, according to Walsh, “have failed the citizens every occasion the city of Syracuse has had to pursue a substantial development opportunity that incorporates older, affordable housing.” So, history is not on our side. They are correct to be skeptical until we demonstrate that we can accomplish it in a different way.

    Rochester (Port Charles)

    These days, urban regeneration is a major subject. Most people would characterize it as an increase in rent costs, the influx of upscale eateries and nutritional food shops, an increase in young professionals or “hipsters,” as well as the destruction of older homes and structural features to make room for opulent condominiums. In actuality, it happens when individuals with higher incomes start coming into low-income communities and drive away the existing residents because of the greater cost of living the wealthier newcomers bring. A affluent white population may frequently do this by evicting impoverished black and brown communities from the neighborhoods in which they have long resided. It has happened in several well-known places, including Portland, Oregon, and Los Angeles, California. This has been taking place in Rochester, New York, gradually but certainly.

    With the growth of new structures in inner city East Ave, Center City, and other formerly low-income districts, this has been slowly but surely occurring in Rochester, New York. The development of gentrification will be mapped out and investigated using open source data and arcGIS, demonstrating the expulsion of low-income and minority groups from their areas. Redlining, a tactic banks adopted in the middle of the 20th century to control where people of color might live, has origins in gentrification. They were forced to live in “declining and degrading” communities, while loans to “nicer” places were denied. Moreover, small company loans were typically not available in these areas, which prevented individuals of color from enjoying financial stability. The map on the left depicts this. Each neighborhood received a grade, ranging from “Excellent” to “Hazardous,” ranging from A to D. The red and yellow regions on this map demonstrate how generally speaking, central city was “dangerous” and “certainly decreasing.” Given the lack of dedicated resources to “declining” neighborhoods and employers’ preference for locations in nicer neighborhoods, it’s only natural that these neighborhoods have continued to decline. Despite being outlawed in the 1960s, redlining still has a significant impact today. The proportion of each Rochester neighborhood’s population who lived in poverty in 2014 is depicted on the right-hand map, with darker red denoting a greater percentage and the deepest green denoting 0%.

    The red and yellow areas from the redlining map are mostly located in the same regions as the darker red sections. By comparing these maps, these data demonstrate that minority populations typically reside in these even impoverished locations. Gentrification has increased in Rochester in recent years, commencing with the construction of high-end residences. New building is being built all throughout the city, and East Avenue’s inner-city section has recently undergone a comprehensive renovation. As an illustration, the old Rochester Subway entrance is being covered by the Nathaniel luxury apartment building, transforming the historic monument into a parking lot. Even though this process has already started, many people in Rochester are actively trying to stop it. Gentrification isn’t always a terrible phenomenon, and its displacing effects may be stopped through creative solutions, wise public

    In order to connect its downtown to some of its at-risk communities, Rochester has started planning to fill the northeastern section of its Inner Loop freeway and rehabilitate approximately 1.5 miles of land. The expressway was constructed, according to a spokeswoman for the city of Rochester, “to divert white people who come downtown away from Black people.” The Inner Loop freeway inside the city’s north is being rebuilt in an effort to restore equality to the areas that, according to local authorities, were mistreated when the highway was built three generations ago. The remaining Loop might be filled in during a ten-year period. Although the project’s strategy has been approved, dispute still exists over what lies beyond the Central Boulevard that will be built in its place. Policy, and community pride. How can a society assist its members regardless of their financial level rather than favoring the wealthier ones? A pricey cereal bar restaurant can appear hip and fashionable, but a neighborhood community center can foster relationships among residents while costing next to nothing to use. The city of Rochester has to look into these patterns, aggressively develop policies to help the communities who are being uprooted, and make sure that all areas are open to people of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds. Its obvious that the phase-one project that reconstructed three-eights of a mile of the loop from behind the Strong National Museum of Play to just shy of University Avenue is not the same as Inner Loop North. Less direct neighborhood connections and more room for mixed-use development along Union Street were features of the three-eighths-mile project. The Inner Loop’s first phase served as a “proof of concept” project, demonstrating how elevating an urban roadway might create the possibility of linking communities. Phase two will aim to finish the final mile and a half of the road. This project’s size is four times greater than Inner Loop East’s. Parks, homes with green spaces, and other projects beneficial to local business are being explored. The additional neighbors who will live closer to the project’s transformation, which it would be satisfied for the major changes. The Expressway extensions have been reclassified as a contributing factor in the deterioration of neglected urban communities. Constructed to convey trade when they first appeared, they are today seen as discriminatory public works from a time when officials did not take their influence into consideration, much more like redlining. Residents of Rochester, however, are concerned that gentrification will follow this attempt to make things right as the Inner Loop is filled in. The city of Rochester has to look into these patterns, proactively develop policies to help the communities who are being uprooted, and make sure that all areas are friendly to people from all racial backgrounds, socioeconomic levels, and walks of life.

    Buffalo Region

    Residents of Buffalo and community-based groups have been raising awareness of gentrification’s detrimental effects on communities of color, low-income families, and working-class families, who make up the bulk of the city, for nearly a decade now. The city of Buffalo’s official response when the warning was initially raised was “not yet.” Alarmists were those who raised worry. Since then, in one of the most segregated and impoverished mid-sized towns in the nation, Buffalo—where more than a quarter of the population is impoverished, gentrification and displacement have become the norm. Over the recent years, rents have been steadily rising, and evictions, according to media reports, had also increased dramatically. Many tenants are being evicted by landlords in Erie County, notably in Buffalo, than in any other part of the state, including the boroughs of New York City. More than 55% of East Side tenants, as according Henry Louis Taylor’s research at the University at Buffalo, spend 30% or more of their income on housing, with more than a third paying 50% or more alone on rent. These figures and the uprooting of communities of color as well as those with lower incomes have become far too typical in America. Yet the City of Buffalo still lacks a comprehensive development strategy that would foster a just, equal, and inclusive city, based on efficient anti-displacement techniques and legislative action that gives Buffalo residents priority over property speculators and out-of-town investors. A Buffalo Tenant Bill of Rights was created by organizations in collaboration with those whose lives were directly impacted in order to redress the disparity in power between renters and landlords.

    On Allen Street, Buffalo went ahead and altered the name of a neighborhood to reflect the name of its great quarterback Josh Allen as it destroyed the AFC East and advanced to the AFC Championship Game. “Welcome to Josh Allentown Buffalo’s Wonderful Historic Neighborhood,” said a sign near the intersection of Allen Street and Main Street. From Elmwood Avenue to west of Mariner Street, Allen Street has been COMPLETELY CLOSED to traffic. Traffic is being diverted along College Street to Maryland Street through a sign-posted diversion. Please adhere to the 30 mph city speed limit. The new 24″ watermain and new copper pipes are now connected to all water services for buildings on Allen Street. To take in the sights and sounds were Allen and Elmwood. Of course, this is one of the neighborhood’s busiest junctions. Living in Allentown has provided an opportunity for me to live a car-free life. It was a walkable city in their definition is regarded as a walker’s paradise due to the near proximity of shops, companies, hospitals, and other necessities. Indeed, there seem to be stores, bars, restaurants, art galleries, included a bicycle shop, Rick Cycle, the oldest in the city having opened its doors in 1898. Within a short stroll are the Theater of Youth, housed in the former Allendale Theater, the magnificently inspiring Symphony Circle, one of many Buffalo circles created by Frederick Law Olmsted, the site of the renowned Kleinhans Music Hall (home to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra), and the venerable First Presbyterian Church. A short stroll or bike ride will take you to Downtown Buffalo and The Elmwood Village, along with everything they have to offer. Additionally, the UB School of Medicine and the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. The land’s initial owner, James Falley Allen, is the origin of the name Allentown. It’s believed that the neighborhood’s principal street, Allen Street, was formerly a cow trail. The city quickly expanded northward when Allen sold the land, taking up the streets that are today part of Allentown. Three urban parks can be found in Allentown: Days Park, which was created in 1887 and is named after Thomas Day, who donated the land to the city in 1854; Arlington Park, where Frederick Law Olmsted resided while creating Buffalo’s extensive park system; and Sisti Park, which is the smallest of the three and is located at the intersection of North, Franklin, and Linwood. It is named for Anthony (Tony) Sisti, a boxer and artist who was raised and educated in Greenwich Village and kept a studio nearby. Many people attribute Sisti’s role in making the arts synonymous with the area. He also helped create the Allentown Art Festival, and the Buffalo AKG Art Museum has some of his pieces on display. I

    The city’s area code, 716, serves as a shorthand for a place that is rich in culture, sports, and positive attitude. Buffalo’s residents are also strongly linked to one another; it’s a running joke that, as opposed to the usual “six degrees of separation,” there are sometimes only one or two degrees separating us here. There are several linkages between the people in the profiles that follow and what they do in the community.

    Buffalo, New York’s second-largest city, boasts a diversified population of more than a quarter-million people, including longtime Buffalonians, returned ex-pats, refugees, university students who stayed beyond graduation, and others searching for a comfortable — and inexpensive — metropolitan location to call home. The drive for change in East Buffalo is not new; nonetheless, the city is aiming to “accelerate development and job creation in Buffalo,” according to Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown. Leaders hope to accomplish this by constructing more housing, yet some claim that such an approach isn’t the best solution. “We do not require more housing; we need to fix up the houses we already have,” one Buffalo resident adds, going on to state, “fix up the neighborhood; fix the streets; clean up the neighborhood.” Everyone understands that we require more than one food shop.” According to Mayor Byron Brown, the city is expecting dozens of development projects in 2022, with a total expenditure of $9 billion in private and public funding since 2012. The majority of the money is sent toward Eastern and Western parts of Buffalo.

    The History

    New York State used to have settlers from Europe like England, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands that used to take over the colonists of Upstate New York and make these major towns into a historic landscape but the didn’t last when the late 20th century took down business and collapse of industry businesses in the 1970s and had more people leaving the cities because it was getting rundown. By the 21st Century, Some of ht most Iconic regions of New York had some major renovation to make more people come back to those Iconic cities and make a greener New York and take down the outdated buildings and added brand new apartments and shops for high quality lifestyle. It also wanted to keep the historic houses but rather renovate the inside and keep the outside for people who love the memory of historic houses.

    New York State used to have settlers from Europe such as England, Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands who made an effort to take over the colonists of the upstate region of New York and turn these major towns into a historic landscape. New York’s history began approximately 10,000 B.C., when the first people arrived. By 1100 A.D., two major cultures had emerged as the Iroquoian and Algonquian evolved. The Italian Giovanni da Verrazzano led the European discovery of New York in 1524, followed by the Dutch’s initial land claim in 1609. The area was once home of the origin of the Native Americans until the European Settlers took over the area. The colony was vital in the fur trade as part of New Netherland and subsequently became an agricultural resource because to the patroon system. In the 1600s, England christened the colony New York after the Duke of York and Albany, port city in the 18th century major trading port in the Thirteen Colonies. Shipping has been crucial to Albany’s growth and success ever since it established a trade station in 1614. While European people and goods were imported, the main exports were furs, particularly beaver fur, timber, and agricultural products. Albany became a city under the Dongan Charter, which also designated it as the sole market town in the upper Hudson River Valley. The port’s initial structure was made up of hurriedly constructed docks that were devastated each winter by ice, erosion, floods, and tidal action. In 1766, the primary set of three docks owned by the city was built; the southern and northern docks were eventually developed into wharves. The Port of Albany-Rensselaer, occasionally referred to as the Port of Albany, is a seaport of entry in the United States having facilities at both Albany and Rensselaer, both in New York, on each side of the Hudson River. Since the 17th century, both cities have had private and public port facilities, and after the Albany Basin and Erie Canal were constructed using public funds in 1825 shipping increased. Jesuit missionaries described salty saline springs on the southern end of what is now known as Onondaga Lake in honor of the illustrious tribe and was called as “Salt Lake” in their reports. The Iroquois began trading with French fur traders in the New York region. English and Dutch colonists both exchanged, and the English officially claimed the region from their headquarters in upstate New York at Albany. The extremely decentralized Iroquois split up into two tribes that backed the American-born patriots and groupings and bands that supported the British during the American Revolutionary War. Following the American Revolutionary War, various treaties with Native American tribes, and land sales by these groups, settlers moved into central and western New York from the eastern parts of the state and New England. Commercial salt production was made possible thanks to the state of New York’s later designation of this region as the Onondaga Salt Springs Reservation. From the late 1700s to the early 1900s, such production occurred. In the 19th century, brine was created from wells that tapped into halite (common salt) layers in the Salina shale in Tully, New York, 15 miles south of the city. The “salty springs” along the Onondaga Lake shoreline get their salt from the north-flowing brine from Tully. This region was known as “The Salt City” because of the industry’s explosive growth in the 18th and 19th centuries. Following the American Revolution, the Iroquois were compelled to cede their territory to Rochester after Britain was defeated. Four significant Iroquois tribes were driven out of New York after embracing the British. They received a sizable land grant on the Grand River in Canada as payment for their loyalty to the British throne. A wave of English-Puritan immigrants from New England who were eager for new agricultural land created Rochester soon after the American Revolution. For more than a century, they dominated Rochester’s cultural landscape. The Paleo-Indians, who were nomadic and lived in the area before the 17th century, were replaced by the Neutral, Erie, and Iroquois peoples. The French started looking into the area around the beginning of the 17th century. A tiny settlement was built at the headwaters of Buffalo Creek in the 18th century when Iroquois territory surrounding it was donated as part of the Holland territory Purchase. The area was sparsely inhabited and residence to the agricultural Erie people in the south and the Wenrohronon (Wenro) of the Neutral Nation in the north during French discovery of the area in 1620. Tobacco and hemp were grown by the Neutral for commerce with the Iroquois, who exchanged furs for European goods with the French.

    It didn’t last when the late 20th century took down business and the demise of industry businesses in the 1970s and had more people leaving the cities because it was getting rundown. By the twenty-first century, some of New York’s most recognizable regions had undergone significant improvements in order to entice more people to return to those legendary cities and create a more environmentally friendly New York by demolishing outdated structures and introducing brand new apartments and shops for a high-quality lifestyle. People would like to see certain modifications that would allow New York to continue to preserve its historical attractions while simultaneously renovating the surrounding area in order to make the historic landmarks, which might involve those in New York State University cities, look vibrant and something novel. Regardless of your age or objectives, it’s worthwhile spending time in New York’s college towns because these cities are surrounded by stunning countryside and have vibrant main streets. From the Hudson Valley and the vast regions of North Country, the appeal of New York State is evident in every corner and crevice. Many of the state’s college towns are teeming with eateries, shops, and cultural institutions but are only a short drive from the natural environment. Here are the top five charming towns in the state. Students who wish to experience the moment of strolling through the historical housing complex will find themselves through a transitional time.They develop lifelong friendships and get important knowledge that will prepare them for their future careers.

  • I have always wanted to see the evolution of changes of taxis since the 2010s and onward of the Pandemic. I loved seeing taxi cabs because there is also public transportation and local attractions. I would love to see taxi ranks at city centers and develop taxi apps so people can request a cab online, especially in this day and age of technology.

    Since the Ride shares has been taking over the taxi industry, I would like to see them find a way to stay in business. This could be a good opportunity like having a competition of the success which I would like to see who would be busier or keep the same prices without changing rates. One thing that taxi’s outsmart ride share companies is that they never change the surge price while ride shares companies often change price surge like a major holiday for an example like the price doubled or tripled the amount when there’s hardly anyone available. When the taxi cabs are unavailable due to night goers, there lucky enough to keep a same price for the destination home.

    Why I’m obsessed with taxi ranks because I like the idea of taxi cabs standing at ranks when they don’t have reservations or automatic pickups on the app. Like England and town centre taxi ranks has still become of thing in most countries which there lucky.

    Taxis came from different background of characteristics of business and vehicles of age.

    People with Disabilities take Taxi cabs to the community



    Disabled Passenger on a Taxi
  • The Bellmore-Merrick SEPTA Resources & Recreation Services Fair is an event which hosts every year for students with special needs to be from transferring grade school into adulthood. It includes programs for special activities if its base on education or special interest while it’s at the location or virtual in future events. This year is the 14th Annual Recreation Fair.

    There was plenty of workshops and vendors during the event and the students from middle school to high school participated in a scavenger hunt to collect brochure and items like pens or hand sanitizers by adding them in different group of people. The event includes guests and people who work for the company to host the event assist students with special needs and their families.

    The list of events that participated for the Recreation Fair which includes, day hab program, vocational classes, Self Services, Camps, Overnight Respite, social events, and etc. The list participants is A-1 Universal, Abilities inc at The Viscardi Center, AHRC, ALLabilites Center, Baking Coach, Barry & Florence Friedburg JCC Ezra Center, Blossoming Behavior, Blue Umbrella Experience, inc: Above & Beyond Community Classes, Camp Good Mourning, Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck, Charles Evans Center, Citizens Options Unlimited, East Meadow Little League Challenger, ELIJA Farm/TPA Program, Epic LI, Family Center for Autism, Gersh Driver Education Extended Program, HOPEFitness, Long Island Blue Special Hockey Team, Long Island Toy Lending Center for Children with Disabilities, Mid Island Y JCC/Adler Center, Nassau County Police Activity League (PAL) Special Needs Unit, Nathaniel’s Hope Buddy Break Respite Program, New Frontiers, New York Friendship Circle, Positive Behavior Support Consulting & Psychological Resources, Positive Community Connections, Recipes 4 Learning, SANYS, Sid Jacobson Camp Kehilla & Kehilla, Summit Camp, Tigerman Community Service, Tommy’s Friends, XTREME Dance, YAI, Tri County Care, Comprehensive Progressive Support for Adults, South Oaks Hospital and Vocational and School Based Services, Ariell’s Friendship Circle, Mitch Weisbrot CLU Special Needs Planner, The Lae Offices of Andrew M Cohen, SPETA of Bellmore-Merrick Community Cupboard, Community Mainstreaming, Kulanu Travels, Ken’s Crew, Live Through Rec Recreation Therapy and Hofstra Summer Camp