Sharla Steinman

By Sharla SteinmanAt 6:45 a.m., Edafe Okporo jogs in circles and smiles at Booker T. Washington Playground. On the soccer field, he is taking a strategic approach to his City Council District 7 campaign by turning his weekly pickup game into opportunities to connect with locals. He glad-handed his fellow teammates — and potential voters — while balancing the game with his goal to win the race against his opponent, incumbent Sean Abreu.In 2016, Okporo was granted asylum in the U.S. due to the dan...

By Sharla SteinmanResidents of Manhattan’s 7th District face a severe and surging housing affordability crisis, with nearly half of all renters burdened by excessive housing costs. The increasing demand for affordable housing is outpacing the available supply, leading to a surge in rental prices. This growing financial strain jeopardizes their ability to maintain stable housing and threatens the community’s diversity and cohesion.The average resident would need to make $140,000 or more annually...

Columbia University has temporarily barred a vocal pro-Israel professor from campus, saying he repeatedly harassed and intimidated the school’s employees.Shai Davidai, an assistant professor in the business school, has been a polarizing presence on campus since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas led an attack on Israel that has turned Gaza into a battlefield. He has accused Columbia of not doing enough to crack down on pro-Palestinian demonstrations, which he says are broadly antisemitic and support terro...

Columbia University has been a focal point of anger and tensions over the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7 last year and the war in Gaza that has followed. On Monday, the anniversary of the attack, it took on that role once again, as students and faculty held rallies, class walkouts and vigils to mourn the lives lost in both Israel and Gaza.Outside the university gates, about 100 members of the Jewish community gathered holding Israeli flags and posters showing the faces of people kidnapped...