larry scott blackmon: Live & Latest News Updates : Vimarsana.com

The 2022 Bronx Power 100

The local power brokers upending stereotypes about the borough.

FreshDirect and the New York Women's Chamber of Commerce Host "Grow Through Grocery!" Virtual Seminar

Power of Diversity: Black 100 2021

The next generation of leaders blazing new trails.

The 2021 MWBE Power 50

JG When Julissa Gutierrez was appointed New York’s chief diversity officer last summer, she was tasked with registering more MWBEs and reaching the state’s ambitious 30% MWBE contract utilization goal – which New York nearly did, with the state announcing in December that 29.51% of its contracts had been awarded to firms owned by women or minorities in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. An expert on Latino issues and civic engagement, Gutierrez previously held key roles with the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund.  2. Jonnel Doris & Dynishal Gross  Commissioner; Deputy Commissioner, Division of Economic and Financial Opportunity, New York City Small Business Services

Could Tusk be Andrew Yang's "agent of the city"?

Will Tusk be the next Capalino? Andrew Yang’s two campaign managers, his press secretary, his policy director and multiple senior advisers don’t actually work for his New York City mayoral campaign. They’re employed by Tusk Strategies, a lobbying firm that’s regularly hired by clients to advocate for or against bills that are being considered by the City Council and the mayor. And the arrangement raises concerns about what kind of access this lobbying firm – and the private clients that hire Tusk – would have to the mayor if Yang were to win the election.  “We believe that it is improper for the same firm to be both a campaign consultant, and then lobby the person that they helped to elect,” said Susan Lerner, executive director of good-government group Common Cause New York. Consultants build “a special relationship of trust” with the candidate, and Lerner added they’re increasingly cashing in on that relationship.

City & State names first advisory board

Governor Cuomo Issues Letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Urging Equity and Expeditious Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccine Program

  We stand together in expressing serious concern with the Trump administration's vaccine distribution plan.  While we are encouraged by recent reports regarding the vaccines' efficacy, there is urgent work to be done to ensure vaccination efforts are both expeditious and fair.    Governors need federal funding in order to execute comprehensive distribution plans to guarantee that all communities have access to the vaccine.  The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials estimates that a comprehensive vaccine distribution program would cost approximately $8 billion.  To date, the Trump Administration has administered a mere $200 million to the states.   Without adequate funding, distribution will not be equitable. COVID-19 has laid bare chronic health disparities in our country that led communities of color to suffer disproportionately from this virus.  Communities of color disproportionately suffer from pre-existing conditions, such as asthma, obesity and hypertension, that compound the harm the virus can cause -- Black Americans died at twice the rate of white Americans due to COVID, and Latinos died at one and a half times the rate of whites.  The underlying reality is that communities of color lack access to healthcare institutions and services.  But in its current form, the Trump Administration's vaccine plan relies on private health facilities that have historically excluded Black and brown communities.  By relying on a flawed, biased system, the administration's approach will only serve to further widen existing disparities in health outcomes.