NWS Sustainable Staten Island

Sustainable Staten Island, a coalition of labor, environmental, and human rights groups based in Staten Island, took to Borough Hall on Tuesday to unveil their "Staten Island Bill of Rights".

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With Donald Trump's inauguration taking place at the end of the week, over 50 people showed up at Borough Hall on Tuesday to present a "Bill of Rights" for Staten Island.

Sustainable Staten Island, a coalition of labor, environmental, and human rights groups based on Staten Island, unveiled a "Bill of Rights" to remind the federal government and local elected officials that certain rights can not be infringed upon, regardless of who is in the White House.

"It's a unique coalition of people across the political spectrum from unions, to immigrant rights organizations, to small business people," said Cesar Vargas of the DREAM Action Coalition, an organization dedicated to educating people about the DREAM Act. "We have representation from Democrats, Independents, and Republicans who want to ensure that in the next four years we're reaffirmed certain rights."

The document contains the following nine rights:

All Staten Islanders have the right to equal protection of the laws, regardless of citizenship, ethnicity, sexual orientation and religion, granting each one of us to live our lives without the threat of discrimination. All Staten Islanders have the right to employment opportunities, to fair conditions of work, compensation, and protection against unemployment, and the right to form unions for the protection of the pursuit of happiness. All Staten Islanders have the right to a fully publicly funded and quality education that will equip them in their journey for meaningful employment and purpose in life. All Staten Islanders have the right to accessible quality healthcare that will promote the strength and longevity of the body and mind. All Staten islanders have the right to long-term comfortable, affordable, and secure housing that will protect them from the storms of nature. All Staten Islanders have the right to clean water, air, parks, streets, and protection from climate change that is destroying Staten Island and our planet. All Staten Islanders have the right to quality mass public transit, modern and reliable bridges, roadways, to ensure the meaningful enjoyment of life and family. All Staten Islanders have a right to enjoyment of the cultural and natural heritage through the preservation of natural lands, and the designation of public structures for the purposes of entertainment, education and public gathering. All Staten Islanders have the right to express their voice by protests, letter-writing, lobbying, rallies, and all free speech protected by our inalienable right.

The "Bill of Rights" was read aloud outside Borough Hall by representatives from the various local organizations.

The crowd then entered the lobby of Borough Hall and asked for a meeting with Borough President James Oddo to deliver the document by hand.

After several minutes of confusion, security asked everyone to leave, citing a fire hazard.

Oddo did not meet with the group, and Borough Hall declined to comment.

Members of Sustainable Staten Island said they will try to set up a meeting with borough president at a later date.

"I think that this 'bill' is a strong stepping stone for a bright and progressive Staten Island, but also for New York City," said Philippe-Edner Apostol-Marius, who is running for Councilwoman Debi Rose's seat.

The organizations involved with Sustainable Staten Island and the creation of the "Bill of Rights" include: Communications Workers of America-Local 1102; Make-the-Road New York; La Colmena; New York State Nurses Association; DREAM Action Coalition; Professional Staff Congress (CUNY PSC); SI Peace Action; SI Against Racism and Police Brutality.

"As an organization representing nurses that work in the two major hospital systems, we're on the front lines every day so we see how health care injustice affects our community," said Patricia Kane, treasurer of the New York State Nurses Association, who was present at Tuesday's event.