MEDALLIONS NOTES

WE MADE IT HAPPEN!
A new page has been created to include everything related to our long-fought struggle to get NYC to restore the Coat of Arms Medallions on the Avenue of the Americas, and, of course, the slimy politician who took our idea from a student project and claimed it as his own. Go to: WE MADE IT HAPPEN!

´LO LOGRAMOS!
Se ha creado una nueva página para incluir todo lo relacionado con nuestra larga lucha para lograr que NYC restaure los Medallones del Escudo de Armas en la Avenida de las Américas y, por supuesto, el político baboso quien tomó nuestra idea de un proyecto estudiantil y la reclamó como propia. Vaya a: ´LO LOGRAMOS!

Part 2: What Happened to Puerto Rico
Part 3: Our Superficial News Media

yet I wonder if the mayor was informed about my (date) inquiry to his press office?

Mind you, I though Davila Richards was my friend.

Until now, I had refrained from publishing the only response I had received from City Hall. I felt that my response would have to be so strong that it would be counterproductive. After all, this time I was not only a columnist, but an activist trying to get something done. If I responded as a columnist, I would have enjoy

LET'S SAVE THE MEDALLIONS!
On the Avenue of the Americas

´SALVEMOS LOS MEDALLONES!
En la Avenida de las Américas

was left out of Rodriguez’s list, it was hard for me to convince her that it must be simple stupidity, that the DOT could not have intentionally set out to insult the Puerto Rican community.

dominican

But I kept asking myself, "Not even Puerto Rico?" Considering the size and history of the Puerto Rican community in the city, could this be an oversight? Similar to the oversight of not recognizing our "Save the Medallions" campaign?

una botella

And why is this person Tremendously Shameless? Because he stole the "Save the Medallions" idea I introduced back in April, because he was interviewed for articles about my idea several months ago, and yet stood at a press conference last week and accepted praise for an idea he knows he stole, because he didn't have the decency to recognize my students who have worked so hard on our "Save the Medallions" campaign.

Back in April, when I walked the entire length of the Avenue of the Americas, I found and photographed only 18 medallions. But since some countries still have more than one medallion, only these 14 were still represented:

Countries/colonies not represented — List created by Miguel Pérez

Only 14 countries are still represented!

Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez Accepts Praise
For an Idea He Knows He Stole!
What else would you expect from Roba Camara?

OPINION
By Miguel Perez
Part 1

Among Hispanic TV journalists in New York City, he is known as "roba camara." And now I understand why! This man is in dire need of attention!

But Ydanis Rodriguez not only "steals the camera" by sticking his neck in front of every TV reporter, he also steals ideas — even when they are already well-known academic projects.

The guy is Tremendously Shameless!

The "Save the Medallions" campaign began when I wrote a column, published on this website on April 28 and republished on May 2 in The Bronx Journal, an online student publication at Lehman College. I reported on how I had walked the entire length of the Avenue of the Americas and found only 18 medallions left (out an original 300) representing the nations of the Americas. Since some countries still have more than one medallion, I reported that only 14 countries are still represented.

The column was widely distributed on social media and covered by several NYC news media outlets in print, online and TV both in English and Spanish, especially because some of my former Hispanic history students became involved in a petition drive to "Save the Medallions."

On May 5th, our project was the lead story on the front page of IMPACTO, and on their website's homepage on the following day. On May 22, I was on BRONXNET's Diálogo Abierto, with Javier Gomez, discussing my idea.

On April 28, Rodriguez reacted to my idea: “Como descendiente de latinos, estaré analizando este asunto de cerca”, he told NY1Noticias ("As a descendant of Latinos, I will be looking at this matter closely”). See for yourself: NY1Noticias.

On June 1, we launched the online "Save the Medallions petition on Change.org.

On June 7, City and State New York reported that "an online petition started by Miguel Perez, professor of journalism and Hispanic American History at Lehman College at CUNY, is calling on the Adams administration to take action" and that "When asked for comment, Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, who is Dominican, said in a statement that “as a city it is important that we recognize and preserve symbolic icons that represent our immigrant origin. As a Latino descendant I am looking into this matter closely.”

Sound familiar?

Yet last Thursday, Oct. 13, he stood at a press conference, announced that the medallions would be restored and — with a straight face — accepted all kinds of praise for an idea he knows he stole.

What would you call this kind of behavior? LOL In the interesting of brevity, I'll let you think of something, because my list is too long!

Back in the Spring, when I saw that Rodriguez was sticking to his original statement about the medallions, sending the same couple of sentences to other media outlets that inquired about my idea, I wanted to hear more. And so on June 27 I sent a "Press Inquiry" email to his DOT press secretary Vin Barone.

"I’m seeking Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez' reaction to the column I wrote and the new online petition drive calling on New York City to “Save the Medallions on the Avenue of the Americas,” I wrote to the press secretary. "This issue is rapidly gaining attention in the news media, and in social media networks, and it begs for the commissioner's attention!"

I sent him links to:
• My original column.
• Our online PETITION on Change.org.
• NYC Hispanic Landmarks, the guide to Latin New York created by my students and the academy project that had led us to the medallions campaign.

Repeating some of what I had written in my April 24 column, I asked: "Are you aware that, out of 300 original medallions only 18 remain? Did you know that (since some countries still have a couple) only 14 countries are still represented, and 34 countries are no longer there? And that a huge number of New Yorkers came from those missing countries, including Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru, Jamaica, Ecuador and even the United States? And the 18 medallions that remain, have you seen that they have become rusty pictures of neglect?"

Even in a July 4 NBC4 report about me and my students, Rodriguez issued the same statement acknowledging that he would be looking into our idea.

Yet, when he looked, he liked it so much that he decided to steal it. Amazingly in spite of all the people who already knew about our "Save the Medallions" campaign, he thought he could get away with this gigantic dishonesty.

There is a popular phrase in Spanish that applies very well here: “Es imposible tapar el sol con un dedo.” — “It is impossible to cover the sun with one finger.”

Now I know why his press office never responded to my email. They were trying to cover the sun! The moment Rodriguez heard the idea, he decided to make it his own! He obviously thought this kind of dishonesty would impress his boss, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, who was quoted in last week's DOT press release praising Rodriguez's great accomplishment.

"Our administration is so excited to honor Hispanic Heritage Month by doing something that the city's immigrant communities have been asking for so long: restoring the national medallions along the Avenue or the Americas," said Adams. "These medallions represent the best of New York City — people coming from all over for a better life, helping to make this the greatest city in the world."

But I wonder if Rodriguez had told Adams that he stole the idea. I wonder if the mayor's own Hispanic press secretary office told him that I had requested his response to my column several months before he came out in support for Rodriguez' theft. I wonder if he knows I wonder if Ivette Davila Richards told him about the amazingly unprofessional way they she handled my request for his response.

Frankly, this medallions campaign has taught many "live-and-learn" lessons. Although I have never met Rodriguez, in Davila Richards I thought I had a friend. In the first of several messages I sent her requesting a quote from the mayor about our "Save the Medallions" campaign, I began by congratulating her, and telling her I was proud of her for her City Hall appointment.

So, quite foolishly, I expected to find a sympathetic ally in City Hall. Knowing her gave me hope that our medallions idea would reach the mayor's ears sooner rather than later.

Yet, apparently not recognizing that my social media messages were private, only between me and her, my "friend" gave me a lecture.

"I would honestly appreciate in the future that you not call me out on Twitter or other social media," she wrote, when she finally responded. She claimed that I had used words in "all-caps" in a threatening tone, when in fact I was using a few selected words to get her to stop IGNORING my many messages and to RESPOND!

Then she started asking me questions. I had requested a simple comment from the mayor, but this is how she responded: "Who have you spoken to about this in the past? Did you reach out to past administrations? What have you been told would be done or not that now you are putting pressure on me and calling me out because you feel my boss should respond?"

In more than 40 years as a journalist, I had never seen a press secretary respond this way. To say it was unprofessional would be an understatement.

What kind of press secretary feels pressured by questions for her boss? Isn't that her job? Even if I had ask some questions publicly on social media, which I didn't, what's the big deal?

Have you ever seen a "don't call me out" press secretary before? Images of her entire social media message and my entire response are on this page. But To this day, I still don't know if my questions ever got to the mayor. But I know it got to his press office.

So, when Rodriguez told the mayor about his plans to restore the medallion, did the mayor know it was a stolen idea? I wonder if the mayor has been fooled by his Tremendously Shameless DOT commissioner and kept in the dark by his "don't call me out" press secretary!

The same goes for Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who showered Rodriguez with unfounded praise at the press conference. Was Espaillat duped?

I have considered Espaillat a friend for many years. And I'm willing to give him the benefit of doubt. But if he is the honest politician I though he was, this is his time to show it. If he doesn't disassociate himself from Rodriguez' blatant dishonesty, well there is another popular phrase in Spanish that applies very well here, "Dime con quién andas, y te diré quién eres" — "Tell me with whom you walk, and I'll tell you who you are."

But let's face it. We should have all known this was bound to happen with a politician who sticks his head in front of TV cameras, whether or not he is being interviewed. LOL

A retired New York Spanish TV journalist, who now lives in Florida, read about Rodriguez' attention-grabbing maneuver and sent me message explaining that she had to edit some video reports just to crop out Rodriguez' unwanted image. "What else would you expect from Roba Camara?" she asked.

"Wow!" I thought. "What a great headline!"

COMING SOON, Part 2:
What happened to Puerto Rico?

TIMELINE
Of Our Medallions Journey

HiddenHispanicHeritage.com April 24, 2022