Articles - Ian M. Torres

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Op-Ed: Whose Park, Whose Voice? Media, Policing, and the Battle Over Washington Square Park

BY IAN M. TORRES
In Washington Square Park — a rare pocket of New York City’s chaotic beauty — art collides with enforcement, protest meets policy, and the unhoused are policed more often than supported. But in this ongoing public struggle, one group remains notably inconsistent: the media.

A Generation Under Pressure: Social Media, Stress, and the Mental Health of NYC Youth

BY IAN M. TORRES
New York City is witnessing a significant rise in mental health challenges among its youth.
According to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, nearly half (48%) of teens
aged 13 to 17 report experiencing depressive symptoms, and 36% of high school students report
persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness—both of which have shown substantial increases
in recent years.

Daylight Saving Time's Hidden Toll: Health Risks and Safety Concerns Persist

By IAN M. TORRES
Daylight Saving Time (DST) began on March 9, 2025, with Americans “springing forward” and
losing an hour of sleep. While the practice has long been marketed as a way to enjoy extended
evening daylight, researchers are increasingly questioning its effects on public health and safety.

Community Board 2 Set to Propose New Guidelines for Artists in Washington Square Park

BY IAN M. TORRES
A Community Board Meeting was held in Washington Square Park on Monday, January 13, to
discuss the issue of enforcement against artists around the Washington Square Park Fountain
circle. Tensions have been at an all time high due to recent policy changes and use of excessive
enforcement by Parks Enforcement Patrol Officers within the park.

Historic Drought Leaves New York City Uncertain of What’s to Come – Brooklyn News Service

BY IAN TORRES
A historic drought has left many on the East Coast wondering what’s to come. The city saw a rash of brush fires in neighborhood parks in November, including a small wildfire in an area of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park on Nov. 8.
The two-acre blaze drew about 100 firefighters as residents were warned to stay out of the park. Meanwhile, another fire on the border of New York and New Jersey, along the Jennings Creek, burned thousands of acres, sending smoke drifting across much of New Yor...

Washington Square Park Artist Arrested Amid Escalating Protests from Supporters – Brooklyn News Service

BY IAN M. TORRES
An unseasonably warm day in Washington Square Park turned chaotic when a young artist was arrested for displaying his art on Nov. 5. The arrest was part of an escalating conflict between artists in the park and law enforcement, although New York City Parks Department continues to claim “there have been no changes in enforcement,” since the eviction of artists began on Sept. 27.
Keion Kopper, 27, an artist, poet, and self-published author was put in handcuffs when approache...

Former Washington Square Park Artist Finds New Hope in Central Park – Brooklyn News Service

BY IAN M. TORRES
Both the New York City Parks Department and the Washington Square Park Conservancy, which oversee enforcement in the park, have denied any wrongdoing. They say there have been no changes in enforcement, yet eviction of artists from the park remains an ongoing issue. The first evictions transpired on Sept. 27 and have since continued, though park officials have offered no information on updated policies.

Both the New York City Parks Department and the Washington Square Park Conservancy, which ov...

Washington Square Artists Feel Singled Out by New Law Enforcement Policies – Brooklyn News Service

BY IAN M. TORRES
Tensions continue in Manhattan’s Washington Square Park between artists and their supporters on one side and Parks and City police on the other, since law enforcement began evicting artists within the park on September 27.
Meanwhile, artists facing warnings of summonses or arrest and eviction for displaying their work point out that drug dealers, known for engaging in illegal activities and drug use, have been able to stay. Washington Square Park is well known for recreational m...

“New” Enforcement Brings Unwanted Changes for Artists in Washington Square Park – Brooklyn News Service

BY IAN M. TORRES
Officials from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, with the help of the New York Police Department began enforcing new rules in Washington Square Park on Friday, September 27. The new crackdown affects the livelihoods of many artists, as they’re being told they cannot display their art within 50 feet of the fountain or risk getting a summons and having their property confiscated and evicted altogether.
Washington Square Park has long been a common ground for ar...

Local Food Vendors Speak Out Against Recent Police Harassment in Queens – Brooklyn News Service

BY IAN M. TORRES
This past week, many local food vendors gathered at a rally in Corona to protest their right to sell and prepare food from carts in parts of Queens, where a recent crackdown by the New York Police Department and Department of Sanitation has led to an uncertain future for many vendors in Jackson Heights and Corona.
This comes on the heels of one instance in late August where, according to Documented, an independent nonprofit news source, a food vendor and Ecuadorian immigrant named Blanca Alvarad...

Reflect and Remember: Tribute in Light Marks 23rd Anniversary of 9/11 – Brooklyn News Service

BY IAN M. TORRES
While most New Yorkers won’t attend the 9/11 memorial, everyone in the city looks forward to the Tribute in Light. It is a lasting public art installation that remains a constant, commemorating the events of that day – honoring those who lost their lives and celebrating the unbreakable spirit of New York.
Standing six blocks south of the World Trade Center Memorial, on the roof of the Battery Parking Garage, the twin beams reach up to four miles into the sky and are positioned...