New Visions Blog

NYC Metro RID will hold a Holiday Happy Hour on December 15th  at Slante Bar (304 Bowery NYC) at 6pm and welcomes all in the Deaf community. The mission of Metro RID is to initiate, sponsor, promote and execute practices that will further the profession of the interpretation of American Sign Language and English and the transliteration of English. For Questions, please contact Danielle Piccirilli at [email protected]… read more

Kids living at Barrier Free Living Apartments performed a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving play at the complex's community event in November. The play kicked off the BFL Apartments' community Thanksgiving dinner, and drew a crowd of enthused parents, friends and staff. Tenants and staff pitched in to create the magical set, sew and decorate costumes and set the stage for an unforgettable show. The theatre group hopes to do another show in the near future. BFL Apartments offers permanent homes for survivors of… read more

The National Action Network on behalf of Rev. Al Sharpton is hosting a Thanksgiving event on Thursday, November 24th for homeless- and/or individuals/families living in shelters. The free event is at 106 145th St., NY NY 10039 from 11am-3pm… read more

Cathryn Ana Glenday, MPH, MA, LMHC, is a psychotherapist and health educator focusing on disability mental health in Albuquerque. She has  been writing poetry since grade school. She is also working on a memoir about her own life and the lives of other disabled women she has  encountered as a medical student and grad student in clinical psychology. She shares a poem, below. Desert Fortress High above Albuquerque, behind the barbed wire fence, The isolated desert… read more

Hearts of Gold donated bath and shower gift bags to the pregnant moms at Barrier Free Living Freedom House domestic violence shelter. The mission of Hearts of Gold, which has supported Freedom House in various capacities over the past few years, is "re-imagining the future of homeless mothers and their children, together by helping them to become confident and self-sufficient as they prepare to transition out of New York City shelter… read more

BFL Apartments held a fun and festive community Halloween party for tenants and staff on October 25. The event included lunch, a costume contest and activities for the kids. BFL Apartments in the Bronx offers permanent homes for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities and veterans with disabilities and includes on site counseling, skill-building… read more

The NYC Commission on Human Rights is an accessible resource for New Yorkers with questions, concerns, and inquiries about their rights under the City Human Rights Law. Looking to add more channels of contact between its agency and partners, community members, and New Yorkers of all walks of life, this Friday will be the first #AskHumanRightsNYC Twitter Question & Answer session. Have any questions about discrimination in housing, employment, or public accommodations; the Commission… read more

Helping Hands for the Disabled of NYC is holding its annual Halloween Party on Monday, October 31, 6pm to 8pm at the Hudson Guild, 441 W. 26th Street between 9th and 10th Avenue. The cost is $10, small sandwiches and special treats will be served.  Register to attend by calling 718-606-9712.  Helping Hands for the Disabled NYC is a non-profit organization which has… read more

Photo: BFL's Aeilushi Mistry (at left) with Diana Reyna , Deputy Brooklyn Borough President The Second Annual Surviving & Thriving event took place Friday October 21 from 10AM to 4PM at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Jeralemon St., Brooklyn NY. The event was a "celebration of courage, resilience, and strength from survivors and organizations that are thriving in our communities." The day included breakfast, relaxation and rejuvenation activities and a host of domestic violence organizations… read more

Art made by the kids from Barrier Free Living's (BFL) domestic violence programs was on display at the TD Bank's Bring Change Event Friday Oct. 7 in NYC. BFL works with people with disabilities — both survivors of domestic violence and homeless men, women and children — to thrive in safe, supportive communities. Team members from BFL were on hand to talk about the agency's work, as the bank staff encouraged patrons to… read more

While able-bodied actors portray 95 percent of actors with a disability, such is not the case with ABC’s new comedy “Speechless”. The show follows a family of five with a special needs child, and Micah Fowler, a teen who has cerebral palsy, plays the character in the comedy. Show creator Scott Silveri loosely based “Speechless” on his experience growing up with an older brother with a disability. The first episode features… read more

Art created by the children living at Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter will be on display Monday October 17. The exhibit is presented by the NYC Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence, NYC Human Resources Administration and Gibney Dance Company. The event will be held at 53A Chambers Street on Monday October 17 from 4pm-6pm.… read more

Barrier Free Living was one of the honorees at St. John's Universities' Vincentian Convocation, held on September 22 in St. Thomas More Church at the Queens campus. Each year, the event honors people and organizations whose lives and work mirror the University’s mission. The Caritas Medal was presented to Paul Feuerstein, the President/CEO of  Barrier Free Living, for the agency's powerful work assisting those with disabilities. “As I listened to the citations… read more

Freedom House domestic violence shelter team members attended this year's Bride's March. The March (where participants wear wedding gowns) "mourns the victims of domestic violence while raising awareness of the horrors of this antisocial criminal behavior." The Gladys Ricart and Victims of Domestic Violence Memorial Walk/Brides’ March is an annual event which was started in New York City in 2001 to remember Gladys Ricart, a Dominican woman from Washington Heights, who was murdered… read more

Working with Coa design, Barrier Free Living will launch a stream-lined, mobile responsive site in October… read more