Midday News: Tenants Call for Rent Freeze, Broadway Karaoke Night Launches, and Time to Submit Artist Designs Honoring Influential Women.

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Announcer: Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Monday, April 7th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill.

Michael Hill: Some tenants are demanding a rent freeze on apartments as New York City's Rent Guidelines Board gears up for a vote. They say rising housing costs are pushing working class families out of their neighborhoods. City Council member Alexa Avilés represents the area. She says political choices drive the chaos.

Alexa Avilés: People make decisions. This is a policy choice. When they raise your rent, it is a choice. We don't have to do that.

Michael Hill: Tenant advocates say rents are outpacing wages and want the city to halt increases for the more than 2 million New Yorkers in rent-stabilized housing. Landlord groups, though, argue the Rent Guidelines Board must account for a higher cost, including repairs and insurance. Rents have gone up around 3% a year under Mayor Adams, with the last freeze happening back when Bill de Blasio was mayor.

A new karaoke series called Sing with the Stars lets you belt out hits alongside real Broadway performers. It happens every Monday night at Baby Grand Bar on Orchard Street just south of Houston. Harry Whelchel created the event. He says singing with the pros is not as scary as it sounds.

Harry Whelchel: When people get there, the energy is so supportive and encouraging, and then the cool thing is that you have these professionals who will sing back up with you or encourage you. It's not judgmental or competitive energy.

Michael Hill: Sing with the Star performers have been on Broadway in shows including Little Shop of Horrors, Jagged Little Pill, and the Book of Mormon. At every event, there's an emcee and two rotating Broadway hosts. The next Sing with the Stars is tonight from 6:00 to 9:00. It's free, but you must reserve a spot. 42 right now with a light rain out there. On and off rain today, a high near 46.

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Announcer: Stay close. There's more after the break.

Michael Hill: The deadline for artists to submit design proposals for monuments honoring influential women in New York City history is approaching. It's April 7th. A plan already has been approved for a monument in Prospect Park of Brooklyn Congressmember Shirley Chisholm. With us now is Laurie Cumbo. She's the city's Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, which is leading this initiative. Commissioner Cumbo, let's start with the design plan for the Shirley Chisholm monument I mentioned. What's the monument expected to look like, and who's the artist?

Laurie Cumbo: The Shirley Chisholm Monument is going to take place in and around the Parkside Avenue area and Ocean Avenue right outside of Prospect Park. This was the area that she was able to gain political attraction. This is the area and the community that she represented. The artists are Amanda Williams and Lek Jeyifous. They are really extraordinary artists who have been a part of this process in making sure that Shirley's legacy and her time in Congress is all incorporated into this monument. I don't want to give it all away, but you are going to see an incredible monument honoring her.

Michael Hill: Commissioner, when can the public expect to see this one?

Laurie Cumbo: I'm looking for it to be unveiled in November, celebrating Shirley Chisholm's 101st birthday.

Michael Hill: Now, this provides some inspiration for any artist still interested in submitting design proposals for the next two monuments. One is for jazz legend Billie Holiday, and the other is for public health pioneer Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trias. What's their significance to the city?

Laurie Cumbo: Everyone knows the incredible, great legacy of Billie Holiday. I mean, Billie Holiday has transformed the phenomenon of blues, of jazz music. She sang in many of the clubs right there in Queens, but she also lived in Queens, and many people may not know that. That sculpture will be placed at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. It's going to be an incredible way for the community to know about this extraordinary woman.

Michael Hill: What about Dr. Rodriguez Trias?

Laurie Cumbo: Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trias that particular sculpture will be in the Bronx. She was a pioneer in reproductive rights and HIV/AIDS care and prevention. Her work often advocated on behalf of women and children, especially those in poor and minority communities. She became the medical director of the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute and the first Latinx director of the American Public Health Association. She'll be honored at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, where she was head of pediatrics and paved the way for so many women and Latinx medical leaders.

Michael Hill: Two other monuments we know are planned, Commissioner. One is for Elizabeth Jennings Graham, a Black teacher who, in the 1850s, sued for her right to ride on any available streetcar at a time when all companies were private and most were segregated. She did win her case, which became a catalyst in the fight for equality on New York's public transit. The other monument is for Katherine Walker on Staten Island. Tell us about Ms. Walker, please.

Laurie Cumbo: I am a new resident to Staten Island. I just moved there three years ago. Upon moving there, I learned so much about the incredible, phenomenal Katherine Walker in Staten Island. She's a hero to so many Staten Islanders. She operated Robbins Reef Lighthouse, a job that was overwhelmingly male. After her husband died in 1890, she was in fact operating the Lighthouse. People at the time didn't believe a woman was up to the job. Go figure.

They continually tried to recruit a man to take over the post, but she persisted, like all strong women do, and got the job full-time in 1895. Such an inspiring example. She was the right person for the job. She was credited with saving 50 people from drowning, all while raising two children on her own, rowing them to school from the Lighthouse to and from each and every day. Such an incredible image. Can you imagine having two children that you've got to row in a boat to school every day just so that they make it on time? I thought carpooling was tough, but that is real leadership as you can see.

Michael Hill: Commissioner, there are also plans to build statues of women who are significant to LGBTQ+ rights movements in the city. Who are they?

Laurie Cumbo: What we're really excited about is that we're going to do monuments for Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. These two dynamic women were critical in the LGBTQ movement, and we want to make sure that their story is told. We're going to deliver the first five that I spoke about, and then we are going to open up an additional all-call for other women to be placed in each borough.

Michael Hill: What kind of artists are you looking forward to take part in this project? Do they need to be based out of New York City?

Laurie Cumbo: I want to just first start by saying that artists can apply by visiting DCLA submittable page, which is nyculture.submittable.com. You do not have to be an academic or an artist that's trained in the university or colleges. You simply just have to submit to us work that you have created. If you are working in the 3D space, that is even more helpful in the selection of the artists. You only have to be 18 years old, creative, talented, a desire to want to do this work, the ability to be able to contract with the City of New York. We are ready to work with you.

Michael Hill: Our guest has been Laurie Cumbo. She's the City Commissioner of Cultural Affairs. Rowing her boat in the city's boat like Katherine Walker in Staten Island.

Laurie Cumbo: That's right.

Michael Hill: Thank you.

Laurie Cumbo: Thank you so much. It was an honor to be on your show, and I look forward to being back many more times.

Michael Hill: Thank you, Commissioner. The deadline to submit a design proposal is April 7th.

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