Community Activism Timeline
Nuala has dedicated herself to our community for nearly two decades. She has worked and fought alongside us on many important issues and projects.
2002
– Moves to JH with husband and baby Nuala. Has 4 more kids in 4 years (Patrick and Peter born, Paty and Tefy immigrate to NY from Ecuador)
2005
– Joins the School Leadership Team at PS. 222 (stays until 2013)
2006
– Works with LaGuardia College’s English Language Center to help my new daughters learn English
– Joins Newcomers High School PTA
2007
– Girl Scout Leader in Jackson Heights with Bella Tibbal
– Begins volunteering for JHBG clean streets team with Beatrice Ruiz
2008
– Writes first grant for cleaning up 69th Street
– Opens JH Dog run on 60th Street under BQE w/JHBG
– Marches with my family to CB3 meeting to close 78th Street Play Street
– Sets up/maintains/creates programming for 78th Play Street ever Sunday morning wThe /Green Alliance
2009
– Starts local Children’s Chorus with Jennifer Florez
– Joins School Leadership team at PS 149 (stays until 2016)
– Starts first garden on 69th Street (between 37th & 35th Ave)
– Works on taking care of local street trees along 37th Ave
– Starts planting daffodil bulbs yearly from 69th-100th Street
2010
– Elected PTA president of PS 222
2011
– Hosts first Principal’s Night so community can meet all local principals, learn about public schools and rezoning for opening of PS 280
– Hosts bike helmet give-a-way @ Travers Park with Cristina Furlong
– Play Street opens Saturday & Sundays w/ The Green Alliance (sets up/maintains)
– Obtains a grant to redo garden PS 149
2012
– Starts Parent Power Workshops w/Amanda Vender
– Founding member JH People for Public Schools with Amanda Vender
– Joins School Leadership Team at IS 145 (stays until 2015)
– Joins Diversity Plaza Planning Committee w/JHBG
– Begins JH Orchestra with Pat Glunt
– Works with community partners to organize the purchase of what is now Rory Staunton Field from the Garden School.
– Helps provide programming all summer at Travers Park.
– Starts a garden next to the Food Bazaar on 34th Ave and Junction Blvd
– Starts Tree Give-a-way for community w/NY Restoration Project
– Starts with JHBG the JH Composting Center
2013
– Joins with founders Cristina Furlong and Laura Newman of Three Children Too Many (forerunner to Make Queens Safer) after 3 children were killed in 18 months on Northern Blvd
– Partners w/ PS 222 to feed homeless sandwiches & cookies w/Jorge Munõz
– Brings the Police Athletic League to the 78th Street Playstreet for FREE summer camp for three years
– Facilitates It’s My Park Day cleanup @ Travers
– Secures $3k grant for gardens at local schools
– Begins weekly gardening team from April to November throughout Jackson Heights
– Begins Leverich Cemetery clean up with a team of volunteers
– Starts garden at PS 280
– Cleans out and starts tulip garden at 37th Ave and 69th Street
2014
– Advocates for the purchase of White Castle space for school (becomes PS 398)
– Begins attending Community Education Council meetings to advocate for PS 398
– Elected to Community Education Council 30 (Vice President)
– Joins School Leadership team at IS 230 (until 2019)
– Builds raised beds at PS 280
– Hosts Principal’s Dinner for all local principals to meet and discuss issues
– Installs 9 metal tree surrounds on 37th Ave in front of PS 222 and along the avenue.
– Begins building over 100 green and white tree guards in the neighborhood
– Cleans out 69th Street and 34th Ave. Rafael’s Garden
2015
– CEC mandates all D30 schools to host Sneak Peek trainings (which Nuala created) to teach parents how to get involved in school. (formerly known as Parent Power)
– Volunteers for local immigrant rights group
– Hosts 2 more Principal’s Dinners
– Helps in planning The Good Neighbor Award (JHBG)
– Hosts neighborhood chorus w/Wendy Martin
– Runs Summer Sundays in the Park
– Starts BQE garden at 34th Ave.
2016
– Serves as President of Jackson Heights Beautification Group (until 2019)
– Produces a performance of You Are Now the Owner of this Suitcase at PS 149 with Ari Laura Krieth
– Starts Sunflower Project at 69th Street and Northern w/ Rodrigo Salazaar
– Renovates PS 92 nd PS 148 garden
2017
– Sponsors portfolio building class for children who want to apply for art high schools w/Deb Wasserman
– Joins Community Board 3
– Works with local girl scout troop to paint mural on 65th Street between 35th Ave and Broadway
– Hosts Christmas Party for community volunteers
– Starts garden on 64th Street /Northern Blvd.
2018
– Joins with Guardians of Flushing Bay and learns about AirTrain
– In charge of the zoning for PS 398
– Holds Rat Academy to inform community and work daily w/Sanitation Dept and a team of volunteers to rid the community of rats
– Assists with Jackson Heights Immigrant Solidarity Network
– Begins working w/Breaking Ground, 108 Precinct and Jimmy Van Bramer to address the homeless issue under the BQE
– Opens a community meeting space for progressive groups at 72-24 Broadway (across from Diversity Plaza)
– Starts holding forums to educate neighborhoods about engaging in the democratic process with County Committee
– Elected PTA President for IS 230
– Secures funding for local programming through JHBG for our community
– Starts garden on 65th Street between 35th & 34th Ave
2019
– Begins advocating for community wide school slow zones on 34th Ave w/NYC DOT’s Jason Banrey.
– Lobbys city legislatures to pass Street Master Plan (w/Trans Alt)
– Participates in city wide action for safe streets and the official #FixNorthernBlvd campaign with Jim Burke
– Testifies at the LGA AirTrain Aviation Round Table sponsored by FAA
– Start FB group Sensible Way to LGA, an anti AirTrain page
– Participates in the AirTrains public hearings
– Starts a petition for an elevator at 82nd Street subway station
– Meets with city DOT and mayor’s office about Koppel controversy at Travers Park
– Creates program to encourage parent advocacy in our local public schools
– Starts education forum for families with kids in PreK and 3K
– Hosts Kindergarten Forum at PS 148
– Starts kids and family summer programing at Travers (JHBG sponsored). Hosts 25 events
– Initiates the grant for Santa Bike Ride w/Claudia & Rodney Corcino
– Hosts PTA Appreciation Breakfast for all local schools
– Organizes JH’s first Holiday Market w/ Ann O’Connor
– Develops adult and child scavenger hunt in the neighborhood
– Organizes community clean up with the USA United Serpa Association with Angela Sherpa
– Starts 31Ave and 68th Street garden
– Starts PS 92 free Afterschool Gardening Program
– Paints PS 148 Fence
– Works on clean-up wth 100 volunteers at St. Michael’s Soccer Field
– Builds shed at compost center @ 69th St & 35th Ave
– Set-up/clean up and planting along Sunnyside bike lane w/ Alan Baglia (stainable streets advocate)
2020
– Initiates Weekly Bus Actions in opposition to the MTA’s proposed redesigns w/Jim Burke & a team of volunteers
– Accepts appointment of co-chair position for #FixNorthernBlvd Campaign (Queens Transportation Alternative)
– Continues rallying against AirTrain
– Advocates for PS 222 with School Construction Authority for outdoor space
– Works with New Reformers and QCCforALL to recruit and education people on how to run for county committee
– Elected to board of Together We Can Community Resource Center on Roosevelt Ave