Students Come Together to Take Action
On the last day of June 2019, ASEZ returned to Clason Point Park to give the park another round of cleaning, holding a united NYC ASEZ cleanup. For many students who spent their semester toiling away at their studies, relaxation is their first priority during summer vacation. However, for ASEZ students, it’s the opportune time to volunteer in the community. As a result, a wave of university student volunteers, dressed in bright blue shirts, came out to the park. The cleanup event served as a continuation of the worldwide Reduce Crime Together campaign.
Volunteers from various ASEZ branches joined hands in cleaning Clason Point Park in the Soundview Neighborhood of the Bronx. Students from New York University, City College of New York, Bronx Community College, and Lehman College came together in partnership with NYC Sanitation Department. ASEZ’s first Clason Point Park cleanup this year successfully garnered over 160 bags of removed trash.
This time around, volunteer activities were also being carried out in several states throughout the East Coast. ASEZ volunteers cleaned up areas in New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Florida. Moreover, the volunteers made progress toward their goals of partnering with local government organizations to revitalize public spaces. Additionally, they improved the overall quality of life and promoted happiness among residents.
Friends and family joined the effort as well. The participants donned shovels, rakes, grabbers, and trash bags, and began cleaning with eagerness and determination to move towards a cleaner and safer community. Together, over 150 bags of trash were collected, along with a generous amount of fallen branches and driftwood.
Participants Express Their Gratitude
All volunteers shared a common sentiment: “By participating in the cleanup, we hope to inspire others to do the same.”
Gonzalo Jimenez, a resident of Westchester County, reflected on the activity, saying, “Little by little, with everyone working together, this effort can continue to repeat itself, so that more and more people can be invited to participate, and we can achieve a cleaner community.”
“As I was picking up trash, I noticed its mostly beer bottles and small plastic, and that’s very unsafe for small children, as well as visually unappealing,” said Khuzema Aslam, a biomedical engineering student at City College of New York. “Since this is a public park, people may come to avoid it if it is unsafe for families. I’m really happy that I joined, because I get to help the community appreciate this part of their town; since they live here, they might as well enjoy it.”
Mark Cruz, Community Liaison for Assemblywoman Karines Reyes, expressed his gratitude for the ASEZ volunteer group, saying, “I felt inspired to see so many young people taking their Sunday off to come clean up a public park; seeing this really gives me a sense of hope, to know that so many people are committed to cleaning up this park and other areas of the city.”
At the end of the cleanup, not only did the community look revitalized, but the volunteers’ faces were bright with smiles and joy. Now, many people will come to enjoy a brighter and cleaner park because of the students’ unity and concern for the park. ASEZ devotes itself to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals—also known as the Global Goals. They will continue to make efforts to bring joy and happiness to the residents of the global village.
