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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Cynthia McKnight, President of Community Education Council for District 13 in Brooklyn
3:34:07
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143 sec
Cynthia McKnight, representing the Community Education Council for District 13 in Brooklyn and Families for Safe Streets, strongly supports Intro 1138 for universal daylighting in New York City. She shares personal experiences of traffic violence impacts on children and seniors in her community, emphasizing how daylighting could have saved lives.
- McKnight recounts specific incidents where children (Kamari and Apollinia) lost their lives due to unsafe street conditions.
- She highlights the disproportionate impact of pedestrian fatalities on seniors.
- McKnight argues that universal daylighting is a common-sense solution that can make the city safer, more accessible, and greener.
Cynthia McKnight
3:34:07
Good afternoon.
3:34:08
Thank you chair Brooks Powers and the members of the transportation and infrastructure committee for holding today's hearing.
3:34:15
My name is Cynthia McKnight and I'm the president and Brooklyn Ball president appointee of the community education council for District 13 in Brooklyn.
3:34:23
I am here representing members of my community who are part of families for safe streets, an organization made up of individuals who have either lost or loved one or been injured in a traffic crash.
3:34:34
I support intro eleven thirty eight and universal daylighting in New York City and I urge you to support this life saving legislation.
3:34:43
As the president of CEC thirteen, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety, health, and success of the children in district thirteen.
3:34:50
I have dedicated my life and career to caring for children, but too often I find myself assisting children and families after horrific tragedies.
3:34:59
I am painfully aware of the impact of traffic violence.
3:35:02
Last school year, Kamari, a seven year old student from Whitman houses in Fort Greene was killed while crossing the street with his mother.
3:35:10
It was heartbreaking to hug his mother at the funeral and to realize that daylighting could have saved his young life.
3:35:16
I also live near the intersection in Clinton Hill where baby Apollinia lost her life and I still hear the scream of the mother when she was killed.
3:35:26
Daylighting could have also saved baby Apollina.
3:35:29
When our streets and interactions are unsafe, it is New Yorkers who pay the price.
3:35:34
The lack of visibility can quickly become deadly especially for children as the smallest pedestrians are often difficult to see behind parked cars.
3:35:43
Additionally, many seniors including grandparents and great aunts and uncles raising children have expressed their concerns about street safety.
3:35:50
Seniors are disproportionately affected by pedestrian fatalities despite being a smaller percentage of the city's population.
3:35:59
Finally, I want to honor my childhood friend Edith who lost her life while we were walking home from PS 306 in East New York.
3:36:07
Daylighting could have saved Edith and many other New Yorkers.
3:36:10
Universal daylighting can make our city better, safer, more accessible, and greener.
3:36:15
It is a common sense solution to numerous problems supported by both pedestrians and drivers alike and it is already working across the nation.
3:36:23
I urge you to support eleven thirteen, thank you for the opportunity to share my testimony.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
3:36:28
Thank you.
Cynthia McKnight
3:36:29
Sorry it went over.