Meet Tanya Pedler, President of the Morrisania Air Rights Resident Association

Every March, we mark Women’s History Month by celebrating the contributions women have made throughout American history as well as the achievements women continue to make today. This year’s theme highlights “women who advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion,” and we recognize women in our community who, through their leadership and advocacy, are helping to create a NYCHA community that is more inclusive, equitable, and fair.    

Bronx resident Tanya Pedler, President of the Morrisania Air Rights (MAR) Resident Association, is known for her exceptional dedication to the MAR community; we spoke with her to learn about some of the projects she has helped make happen there.

Tell us about yourself and your work.

Firstly, I’m an immigrant – I was born in Jamaica. I immigrated here in 1989 with my mother and father, to Hollis, Queens, where I was raised. I am also a product of the New York City foster care system. I was a teenage mom who aged out of foster care into my first NYCHA apartment – that was in Brooklyn. After that, I moved to the Bronx, where I live today.

I have two wonderful children: a 21-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son. Life with my kids has been an adventure from the beginning – I learned I was pregnant with my daughter on September 11, 2001! My beautiful daughter has grown up to be one of my biggest accomplishments – she just graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology last May. I’m so proud of her, even more so because that amazing human being and successful college graduate is the child of a teen mom and grew up in public housing.

Glen, my 7-year-old son, is on the [autism] spectrum – so we are a special needs family, one of many in the Bronx and across the city. Families like ours need to know that their community understands their struggles, and we do! My family deals with the very same challenges, we come from where they come from, we are very much one of them.

Not enough kids get the attention they need. They often don’t even get diagnosed properly, which needs to happen for them to get the right services. This is why I speak up about my family and our situation – because in our community, people sometimes don’t feel comfortable sharing like that. But I truly believe that “one hand washes the other.” We will get to where we need to go much faster if we help one another and lift one another up. I want everyone in my community to understand that they are not alone, that if we all work together and support one another, life will keep getting better for all of us.

What are some of the projects you’re working on?

Well, here’s an example: for a long time, the children here at Morrisania Air Rights were not able to use the playgrounds and parks here because so many addicted folks had taken over our public spaces – they weren’t safe for kids anymore. I made it my goal to bring attention to the issue. Two years ago, we got Mayor Adams himself to come out and visit our site, to see it for himself. After that, NYCHA and Ms. [Chief Operating Officer Eva] Trimble and her team allocated $250,000 to the restoration of one of those playgrounds, at Building 3204 Park. Thanks to Representative Ritchie Torres and his office, another $750,000 is also on its way and will be devoted to the restoration of our larger group of parks and playgrounds. It will fund the creation of a “sensory garden” for special-needs users as well as a “playground for all,” which will be a resource for the whole community.

Have you ever considered running for public office?

Well…I did just find out that I’ve been named the Special Needs Liaison for District 79, our assembly district in the Bronx – that’s an honor! But honestly, I love what I’m doing right now as president of MAR. I genuinely feel like I can create more positive change in this role. I can connect better with my community as president of the MAR. It’s more personal, it’s on a one-to-one basis.

In your experience, how has life in NYC public housing changed?

I have seen real change under the new leadership at NYCHA. I’ve noticed that, especially over the past year-and-a-half or two years, we are genuinely going in a better direction. The complaints I used to hear three and four years ago – I don’t hear those anymore. NYCHA’s administration is genuinely doing the work that needs to get done to correct the issues that residents have had to face in their apartments. I believe things are getting better.

Meanwhile, families just like mine that live in public housing need to know we are here and that we understand. Let’s join forces! If you don’t know where to go to get the help you need, let’s connect! Let’s find you that information and those resources! There are a lot of families who don’t know where to turn for resources…and we are here to provide that help.

What other projects have you been working on recently?

Where do I start? Last September, together with my colleague Patricia Simpson, the Resident Association President of Patterson Houses, and Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, we hosted the first-ever “The Forgotten Ones” sensory play resource event at the Patterson Houses as part of our work on behalf of the special needs population here in the Bronx. It was awesome!

Then for our Family Day last December, we created a Winter Wonderland event at MAR. We got Macy’s to come to the South Bronx, and they even brought us a Santa Claus! Every single one of the thousand-odd kids or grownups who came got a photo of themselves with Santa, totally free of charge. We also gave free books to every single child who participated that day. That event was one of the best projects I have ever been a part of. To see the faces of those little kids when they saw Santa – it was honestly a highlight of my life.

We have great stuff coming up as well. I am working right now with the Mayor’s Office to put together the first Bronx Autism Walk. We’re working to create an afterschool program here in the Bronx dedicated specifically to the autism population. I’ve also partnered with a local swimming program – and got them to tailor their program and their pricing – so that our special needs residents can get affordable, private swimming lessons. We will be bringing the Special Olympics to NYCHA and the South Bronx too, starting this month at the BronxWorks Melrose Classic Center. And in April, we’ll be holding an “Autism Awareness Family Day” picnic at MAR, featuring a whole range of organizations, including Autism Speaks, the Special Olympics, KEEN New York, Verizon, and Fidelis – who will be there to give out resources, sign up families for their services, and provide play equipment. It’s going to be awesome.

It sounds like you never stop working.

It’s hard to rest when you’re trying to reach absolutely everyone you can. There are a lot of families like mine. When I first got my son’s diagnosis, I didn’t know where to turn. I felt like YouTube was my only friend in the beginning – I was just looking everywhere, both for hope and for the skills I needed. I want my neighbors to get the help they need, to know that help is available.

I truly believe that this community needs to see clearly just how powerful we can be together. If little old me, one little person – if I can do these things, imagine what we can do as a whole community! What we should be doing, all the time: coming together, lifting one another up, sharing ideas. It’s all about coming together and putting our best foot forward. One hand washes the other.