Park Slope Armory YMCA — Local services in New York

After September 24th, 2017 incident that my daughter’s arm was scraped by the bleachers. A week later my family was targeted by facility manager, Tracey. While I was practicing my son catching and throwing a FOAM baseball, Tracey passed by us with an Ugly look. Less than 5 minutes later, two securities approached us and accused us that we threw the ball up the ceiling few times and almost hit the ceiling lights. I asked the securities, Jose and the other (I forgot the name) how did you see I or my 10-year-old son, or my 6-year-old daughter threw the ball up in the ceiling? They replied that Tracey saw it through security cameras. I told them please review the footage that we never threw the ball vertically, we threw it horizontally; mean while, there was a child and mother were kicking the ball up to the ceiling and to the bleachers and nobody confronted them. That moment I felt the incident was very bias and harassment against my family maybe we are Asian, and they do not welcome Asian people in the facility because other kids are not Asian and never been confronted when they were kicking the ball fiercely against the wall and among other activities kids capable of doing. I contacted Jamel Davis about the incident and he said he would investigate the issue, and will respond to me. I never had any response from him.

After several weeks, I have forgotten those negatives bias or racist treatments from Tracey, and security (ANDRES). Until today, February 18, 2018, facility security, Andres, approached me and my 6-year-old daughter that we cannot jump the wall to climb the pull-up bars, or carry my daughter to hold on because the bars are meant for “class” only. I replied to Andres that Neither I or my daughter jumped to the wall to reach the bar. I only carried her to hold on to the bar. Andres replied that children are not allowed. I said to him that are you and Tracey TARGET ME AGAIN because I saw Tracey here. There was a child jump the wall to reach the pull-up bar and nobody confronted her. Why do we get confronted for the same things as other families and children did, but they don’t? Is Tracey and you, Andres, target only my Asian family, and indirectly not welcome us? Andres requested me to show him which child did it so that he will confront the child. I replied to him that I will not show him who jumped up the pull-up bars, because the child will not admit and I am pretty sure that child or other children will do it later. I have witnessed too many children did the same activities and never been confronted by Tracey or any securities, or Andres. Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait for long to prove to Andres that there was child jumped on the wall to reach the pull-up bar and monkey climbing from one-end-to-other. I showed to Andres and asked him “do you see that child hanging on the pull-up bar?”

I am writing this letter to reach out to Ericka and Jamel Davis that how bias and harassment we were treated by Tracey and facility securities, especially Andres confronted and accused me and my daughter doing something that we didn’t do. Please just admit and say “Park Slope Armory YMCA is not welcome Asian family...” and we will immediately stop coming and reach out to Asian community not to sign up at your facility and acknowledge that you are not...

September 24, 2017 Incident

I am writing to inform you about 1) the discrimination and harassment incident that my family experienced at the YMCA as a participant and a youth-member; and 2) general safety concerns about your facility. It is my desire to bring awareness about these issues so that other people will not suffer the same humiliation and injuries that we experienced.

Discrimination and harassment

My family and I experienced uninvited and unwelcome verbal conduct directed at us by a member of your staff because of our race and national origin. We were unfairly targeted and singled out for no reason other than to annoy and harass us.

My minor son, Ivan Lam, is an active youth member at the YMCA. Per the facility’s policy, minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. In my efforts to supervise my son, I would sit in the bleachers with my minor daughter. This was our normal routine. We did this at every visit, without a problem, until this incident transpired on Sunday, September 24, 2017 at the Park Slope Armory YMCA, 361 15th St, Brooklyn, NY 11215.

I am fully aware that non-members are not allowed to engage and participate in activities at the facility. We did not violate this policy or any other YMCA policies. While my daughter and I are not YMCA members, we were there merely to accompany my son. My daughter never participated in any activities at the facility. In fact, she sits next to me on the bleachers to observe her brother playing basketball. In the past, I have offered my daughter the option to enroll as a member of the YMCA and she turned-down this option because she has no interest in any of the activities.

What I found most reprehensible about this particular female staff at the YMCA (whose name I do not know) is her attitude. This staff told me, in referencing my daughter, that “she’d better not use any activities in our facility,” in a patronizing voice. Not only did she imply that we were trying to circumvent the facility’s policies by sneaking in my daughter, she singled us out. There were many other guardians who accompanied other youth members. This staff member did not make this comment to other people or gave them a hard time. She harassed and annoyed us because we were Asians.

Furthermore, she treated us like criminals. While my daughter and I were seated on the bleachers, she kept a close eye on us and frequently looked our direction to make sure that my daughter was not participating in any activities. We felt harassed and unwelcome by her unnecessary behavior.

General safety

My daughter had multiple lacerations from the sharp metal edges from the bleachers at the YMCA. Your staff created an incident report of this injury. Please make sure to address this safety concern so that other people will not be injured at your facility. The edges are very sharp and can do serious harm to the human body.

I hope that my letter will help to provide constructive coaching and training for your staff and bring awareness about safety concerns at tour facility. I would really appreciate an apology from the YMCA and especially from the staff that ruined our...

I was so disappointed with our experience here at the YMCA SUMMER CAMP. My daughter who is 4 years old and has been in daycare/preschool since she was 2 years old complained about her experience on a daily basis. The whole reason why I thought this camp would be a good fit for us was because their camp was based on an air conditioned facility and not having to go outside in inclement weather like a heat wave. My daughter who is 4 years old ended up in the EMERGENCY ROOM because she was exposed to 94f degree weather at the playground and didn’t have any sunblock on. The camps response was that my child didn’t want sunblock on her skin. I didn’t understand why the children were at the park any way when there was a weather advisory and they have a perfect air conditioned facility to set up activities indoors. When I picked up my daughter that day I noticed bumps on her skin and spoke with her counselor and the supervisor and no one had noticed it until I picked her up which was pretty alarming to me that she had a rash all over her face, arms, legs and feet and no one noticed. I also think that the director of the program should invest in a wagon or shopping cart to have a counselor or a supervisor pull the children's book bags and lunch boxes on their walk to 9th street. Again you have 4yr olds carrying a bookbag full of belongings and lunch boxes in the heat all the way to 9th street. With the money the program charges I think they can afford a wagon or a shopping cart. And another complain I had was that there was no food or drinks provided from the DOE because they lacked personnel. Again, with all the money that we pay for our children to attend the camp I think this program should have been better organized and prepared. Another red flag was that since my child didn’t even want to go back I had to find another daycare that would take her for the last week and the YMCA didn’t even contact me to see why my child was absent. I’m sure they probably did not even notice. So I had to pay another center for the last week because my child didn’t even want to go back. In conclusion, I would not recommend this camp for a 4 yr old and will not be returning...