Don't Sleep New York

New York City is home to 3 of the country's largest public library systems - New York Public Library, Queens Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library. Although the city's libraries serve 10s of millions of visitors a year, libraries tend to be under resourced and under appreciated. In fact, NYC libraries are currently facing drastic budget cuts which would impact millions of library patrons, young and old. In this episode, we unpack the importance of the library system to communities as well as the challenges city libraries are facing going into the next budget cycle.

We've all been taught the "Three R's" since grade school - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Recycling has been engrained in our culture to a point that we sometimes forget about what it really means - and costs - to really make an impact. Following our episodes on Trash and Compost, we are closing out this chapter by unpacking New York City's recycling - how it works, what it's impact is, and what we could be doing better. Listen to all three episodes to get the full picture on New York City's opportunity to reduce emissions and save millions of dollars.

30% of what NYC sends to landfills is organic waste. Which means the city is paying a lot of money and adding to carbon emissions with material that could otherwise be composted. In this episode, we breakdown the benefits of composting and spend a bit more time talking about the practicality of composting - and how the city is changing its approach to make composting easier and more accessible. Composting is likely coming to your neighborhood soon, so mark the dates and get ready to save your organic material, doing your part as a New Yorker!

Whether you’re visiting New York or you’ve lived here for years, you’ve probably been shocked by one of the city’s wonders, towering high above the streets. We’re not talking about the empire state building. Or the Brooklyn Bridge. We’re talking about trash. In this episode of Don't Sleep New York, we unpack the city's garbage/rubbish/basura and the mechanics behind it. Tune in to the filthy truth of how New York City manages its trash - and the impact that has on you as a New Yorker.

You're probably listening to this episode on a high speed internet connection - maybe at work, at home, or on the go via your mobile connection. Internet access feels like a basic right at this point - its the foundation on which people's work and home life is now built. From doing homework to accessing benefits, a strong internet connection feels like a given. So it might surprise you to know that in New York City, more than 1 million people don't have access to high speed internet. In this episode, we unpack the status of New York's broadband equity - the difference between access and availability, who is impacted, and what the state and city are doing to solve the digital divide.

Over the last few years, you may have noticed buildings posting energy grades, similar to what you see on restaurants in New York City. But what exactly do these grades mean? And how do they ladder up into the larger climate efforts that NYC has been putting in place? In this episode, we do a quick deep dive on building energy grades, the laws behind them and what happens next in the fight to lower emissions in the city. We'll also discuss how you, as a member of the NYC community and a renter/owner can do your part in this fight. 

This summer the US Supreme Court passed major rulings that impacted the lives of Americans everywhere. How each state responded to these rulings varied from state to state, leader to leader. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York state legislature responded rapidly on all fronts - including the passing of new NY gun laws in an attempt to counteract the Supreme Court's rulings around concealed carry in NY. In the Season 3 opener, hosts Arpan, Matt and Ranajoy unpack what the new NY gun laws are and how those changes might impact you. Even if you don't own a gun or plan to own a gun, understanding these changes is key to understanding how NY gun laws continue to shape and change our neighborhoods, our favorite businesses and our community. This episode was recorded on 8/9/2022.

The NY primary election is upon us. Our last episode talked about the race for governor, but further down the ballot is another really important, lesser known topic: State Committee aka District Leaders. In this special episode, Arpan is joined by Don't Sleep friend and resource, Billy Richling. Billy is a Brooklyn-based former local journalist, currently serving as Communications Director for the Brooklyn Young Democrats. He's also an active part of a coalition of political clubs called Brooklyn Can't Wait. Their mission right now - reform the Brooklyn Democratic Party, starting with District Leaders. Billy sheds light on the mysteries surrounding district leaders: who they are, what they do, and why they are important. And he shares some resources to help you get informed before you vote for YOUR district leaders on June 28.

This year, New York will have two primary elections. The first is coming up in a few days on June 28, where New Yorkers will be voting for Governor, Lt. Governor and a few other seats depending on where you live. Unlike the NYC Mayor's race last year, the Governor's race has been fairly quiet. In this episode we unpack why that is, along with some insights into the 3 candidates and the campaign overall. We hope this helps you make a more informed decision as you head to the polls on June 28.  This episode was originally recorded on June 15, 2022.

A topic contentious enough to delay the passing of the NY State Budget, Bail Reform is a tough one to talk about. It overlaps with issues of public safety and racial equity, and in NY it's gone through several changes/reforms in the last few years. So before we can get into nuanced conversations around bail reform (is it working?), we need to unpack the basics. What is it bail, how does it work, and what are some of the changes that have been introduced over the last few years. This episode of Don't Sleep New York does exactly that - a primer on the topic of bail reform and a kickstart to your own research before the upcoming primary election. This episode was recorded on May 10th, 2022. 

Homelessness is a complex issue - tied to things like affordable housing, mental health, and education, amongst other things. In this episode of Don't Sleep New York, we start with the basics - defining homelessness, challenging public perceptions, and unpacking some of the solutions that our leaders are and should be considering to help address the issue. As always, Don't Sleep New York is just a primer for your own research. So keep doing your own research and pay attention to the facts as you head to the polls this year. This episode was recorded on April 29, 2022.

In Season 1 Episode 2 we talked about affordable housing and how it's defined. This time we're back to unpack the ongoing affordable housing crisis in NYC, but through the lens of the upcoming governor's race. In this episode, Matt, Ranajoy and Arpan discuss Kathy Hochul's proposals for addressing affordable housing - from new tax abatements to new zoning laws. Listen to this episode (and last season's discussion on affordable housing) as a primer to better understand what candidates are really talking about when they say "affordable" housing. 

It's election season again! As we head towards the June primary for the governor's election, Don't Sleep New York will be covering key topics to keep in mind before you cast your ballot. For Season 2 Episode 4, we're tackling every New Yorker's favorite - the MTA. This episode is not a deep dive on everything plaguing the MTA (we could do a whole season on that). But it does provide some background on how its run, where the money comes from and who is in charge. And hopefully it kickstarts your own research before you head to the polls in June.

In this bonus episode of Season 1 of Don't Sleep New York, our hosts break the usual DSNY format to have a candid, roundtable discussion about their personal ranked choices for NYC Mayor. There's some disagreements, some consensus and some laughs. Listen to our picks and let us know who you're voting for by DMing or commenting on our Instagram @dontsleepny. 

While all eyes have been on the upcoming mayoral primary, there are 5 other categories up for election on the same day. Sometimes referred to as the downballot, these other roles are not as prominent as the mayor, but just as important for local politics. On June 22nd, in addition to ranking votes for mayor, NYC will be voting for the New York City Comptroller, 31 out of 35 City Council seats, all 5 Borough Presidents, Manhattan District Attorney and the Public Advocate. In Episode 10 of Don't Sleep New York, we break down these other roles and the key players in the race. 

We're 1 week out from the NYC primary election and there's still a few candidates to cover. So Episode 9 of Don't Sleep New York explores 3 more candidates who have been getting a lot of attention during this race - Kathryn Garcia, Ray McGuire, and Shaun Donovan. We explore who they are, some signature policies and moments, and their general vibe as candidates for NYC mayor. This episode is a great primer as you collect your final thoughts before heading the polls - so use it as a starting point for your own research into the candidates.

Episode 8 of Don't Sleep New York covers mayoral candidate and current NYC comptroller, Scott Stringer. While this episode covers Stringer's policies and background, it's important to know a few things: Scott Stringer has been accused of sexual assault. He has not dropped out of the race. This episode was recorded before the accusation. We hope to provide some context to his policy and background for when you hear his name leading up to the election.

In Episode 7 of Don't Sleep New York, we follow Dianne Morales' campaign, which up until a few days ago, was billed as the most progressive of all mayoral candidates. With a catchy slogan of Dignity, Care and Solidarity for all, the Morales campaign has been gaining grassroots traction, earning her the most number of donations than any other candidate. This episode was recorded 2 weeks ago, so we recommend that you listen to unpack her policies but do your own research as well, especially because of recent events within the Morales campaign. 

In Episode 6 of Don't Sleep New York, we explore one of the frontrunners for NYC's democratic mayoral primary - Eric Adams. The current Brooklyn Borough President has been running a strong campaign - centered on public safety. Hosts Arpan, Matt and Ranajoy dissect Eric Adams journey from the NYPD to mayoral hopeful, and what his campaign for increased public safety could mean for the city - and city hall. This episode should serve as a primer to your own research, especially as we get closer to the June 22 primary election. 

In Episode 5 of Don't Sleep New York, we continue our deep dive on New York City's democratic mayoral candidates - this time exploring what Maya Wiley's campaign looks like. A strong activist with ties to current mayor Bill de Blasio, Maya could be considered both a political outsider and insider at the same time. Hosts Arpan, Matt and Ranajoy explore what that means for her campaign and envision what New York City could look like with Maya Wiley as mayor. Start with this episode to learn about Maya's campaign and policies, and then dive into your own research as we get closer to the primary election in June.