Fight For Our Future













"This is not about commercial rent control. [The Small Business Jobs Survival Act] is the only one that can establish a better process for lease renewal. It’s the only real solution to stop the closing of long-established small businesses and save jobs." -Ydanis Rodríguz, NY Council member

All photograph by Beatriz Elena Rodriguez © 2018,
shot at the Rally for the SBJSA at City Hall on  October 23rd, 2018

People Power Against Profit


Skyrocketing rents and loss of leases replace NYC’s diverse neighborhood cultures — spaces, stores and restaurants — with vacant storefronts. Tell the NY City Council to pass the Small Business Jobs Survival Act. Come testify! Tell your story of a favorite space that closed, a lost lease, or how important it is to you to preserve NYC’s unique culture. If you cannot make it to the hearing you can still show your support for the bill.

There will be a rally and press conference on the steps of City Hall before the hearing at noon featuring David Eisenbach, (Founder of Friends of the SBJSA), Ruth Messinger (Former Manhattan Borough President and City Council Member, Original Sponsor of the SBJSA), Elvis Silverio (President at New York State Latino Restaurant Bar & Lounge Association, Nelson Eusebio (National Supermarket Association), Paul Lau (Executive Director of the Sportswear Apparel Association, Andrew Berman (Executive Director, Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation), Quenia Abreu (President & CEO, The New York Women's Chamber of Commerce), Kin Ming Lam (Garment District Factory Owner), Frank Garcia (National Association of State Latino Chambers of Commerce), Giovanni Taveras (Founder of the New York State Veteran's Chamber of Commerce), Rafael Martinez (President, NY Hispanic Chamber of Commerce), and Jeremiah Moss (Author of Vanishing New York).

City Dreaming








"Last night, buoyed by this prospect, about 50 New Yorkers gathered at Dream Baby in the East Village for an SBJSA-themed happy hour hosted by #SaveNYC. (The bar’s location on Avenue B is, of course, not currently among the 20% of retail spaces currently sitting vacant in NYC, up from 7% just two years ago.) Attendees were offered $4 off beer and well drinks, $2 off everything else, and got a chance to organize ahead of the City Council hearing on the SBJSA scheduled for the fourth Monday in October... The event featured pro-SBJSA speakers Jeremiah Moss, Jenny Dubnau, and David Eisenbach. Moss is a #SaveNYC leader, anti-gentrification activist, and author of the book Vanishing New York. He drew guests via his beloved blog of the same name."

Text by DJ Cashmere from Bedford & Bowery
All photographs by Beatriz Elena Rodriguez © 2018