Dear Borough President,
  Hello, my name is Aleyna Rivera. I'm 14 years old, and this summer, I'm working with SYEP, Catholic Charities, and Youthful Savings Program with Ms. Somya and Mr. Jose. This is my first real paid job, and we are learning how to start our own business as teenagers, as well as how to advocate for change in our communities. The reason for this letter is because, as a youth living in NYC in Manhattan, Washington Heights to be exact, there are a few issues that I would like to see changed. One of the problems I and many of my peers have an issue with is the amount of trash, dog waste, needles, and drugs on the sidewalk and inside my local park. This situation makes me as a youth uncomfortable and makes my self-esteem feel low. I say this because I'm noticing that other neighborhoods like downtown and lower Manhattan, New Jersey, Upstate N.Y., and even other countries like Puerto Rico do not have this same problem. Maybe they do but someone is making sure citizens visiting or those just walking by these neighborhoods don't see it because they are cleaning it up before everyone wakes up to go to school in the morning. 

  As a younger youth, I would like to have this problem improved if not corrected. I don't think it's fair that people, especially the younger youth in my neighborhood, should have to see these things on an everyday basis before heading out to school. I would like to ask if you can install new garbage/trash cans as well as recycling bins in my block (on all 4 corners) so that we do not have to walk through dog waste, used needles, and trash flying everywhere every specifically in the mornings on our way to school. For example, I live at 511 West 189 Street in Manhattan. Between Audubon Avenue and Amsterdam Avenue, there are a few schools surrounding my address. I would like for there to be trash and recycling cans on West 189 Street and Amsterdam Avenue and West 189 Street and Audubon Avenue. I would also like to have the trash and recycling cans on West 190 Street and Amsterdam Avenue and West 190 Street and Audubon Avenue. I also live across the street from the park, so there are a lot of kids and adults that pass by my block, and this is why there is always trash and animal waste everywhere.

  I would also like for my block to have a doggy bag stand where people can get baggy and pick up their animal waste and then be able to throw it in the garbage can(s) that will be on the corner. This will help immensely with the animal waste at the intersections I gave you. Another thing is there are a lot of people using drugs in my neighborhood, and they throw used needles on the street and sidewalk, as well as in the park I've mentioned. This is why the garbage cans are needed right away because I don't like to see these things before I go to school and I'm pretty sure neither do my peers. This makes us very uncomfortable, and it's not fair we have to walk by these things every day with nothing being done to stop it. 

  Another change I would like to request is for the park across the street from my home to be renovated. Again, I see other NYC Parks, forex, Cabrini Playground or Park, and J. Hood Park or Playground with nice seating areas, nice tables, new updated playground equipment, new slides, and nice swings, and my park is bare and old. We don't even have a slide. We hardly have seating/eating areas inside the park. The playground is old and it is not welcoming. I would like the entire park to be renovated so that the younger youth like myself, little kids and babies have somewhere nice to go and feel proud of having a park filled with cool things to do and play in. I hope they can install a volleyball net and a sports area too because I love playing volleyball it is my favorite sport to play during P.E. in school and during my free time. I wish I could play in my park if we had a volleyball net. Can you help me with these issues for my community neighborhood? 

  As a youth in my community, I feel we deserve this change and are due for a difference in the way our community looks. I know this will stop all the trash and used needles everywhere because it will be newer, and we, the youth and the community, will come together to take care of everything and make sure nobody throws things on the street. The park is on West 189 Street and Amsterdam Avenue. I think the name of my Park is Juan Bosch Playground in Manhattan Washington Heights. Thank You for your time and for reading my letter. Please feel free to respond to me.  

Sincerely, 
Aleyna Rivera.