In This Week’s This Week in Chelsea, in Order of Appearance: Community Board Applications; Virtual Kids Week; Virtual Black Natural Hair Celebration; Free Tax Prep; Hudson Guild Call for Talent, CB4 Co-Sponsors Sock & Underwear Drive

COMMUNITY BOARD APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED  THROUGH FEBRUARY 22  | Manhattan’s 12 community boards are local organizations each composed of 50 volunteer members serving staggered two-year terms. Notes Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer (who is responsible for appointing new community board members), community boards are “tasked with being the independent and representative voices of their communities—the most grass-roots form of local government. The boards are pivotal in shaping their communities and work to enhance and preserve the character of the city’s many unique neighborhoods.”

Online applications can be accessed at manhattanbp.nyc.gov/cbapplication. A complete application must be submitted online or postmarked by no later than 5pm on Mon., Feb. 22nd. Physical applications (downloadable here as a PDF) may be mailed, but online submissions are strongly preferred. “The online application must be completed in one session,” notes BP Brewer’s office, adding, “It is recommended you copy and paste your essay responses from a separate document into the corresponding fields in the application. Be mindful of word limits. Failure to meet the word count requirements will result in an error message when attempting to submit this application. Additionally, please have your resume or short bio prepared to upload and attach as part of this online application.”

Applicants who have successfully submitted all required materials will receive confirmation via an automated email receipt from “Office of Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer,” no-reply@wufoo.com. Check your Spam folder for this email and contact the office if you do not receive your receipt. Following the submission deadline and an internal review process, my staff will contact you regarding next steps, which may include an interview. After applications have been reviewed and interviews are completed, appointments will be announced in late spring.

Mon., Feb. 15 to Fri., Feb. 19, streaming live, 10am to 3pm daily: The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum’s Virtual Kids Week | While school’s out this week, it’s all hands on the digital deck, as the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum delivers its usual dense, intense schedule of Kids Week workshops, demonstrations, and presentations—all planned in a manner you can enjoy at home. The fact that none of us have a choice in the matter will soon be forgotten, when the focus goes to any one of this year’s featured themes: Space & Science, Music & Arts, and Safari & Nature. Click here to view the full schedule.

Thurs., Feb. 18, 6pm: Virtual Black Natural Hair Celebration | “To and ‘Fro: The Journey to Honor Black Hair as an Act of Self Determination” commemorates the second anniversary of the NYC Commission on Human Rights’ legal enforcement guidance on race discrimination on the basis of hair. Click here to register for this event.

The NYC Department of Consumer Affairs Announces NYC Free Tax Prep | If you earned $68,000 or less in 2020, you may be eligible to file your taxes for free. NYC Free Tax Prep offers trusted, professional service online and in-person to help you stay safe and avoid tax preparer fees. If you didn’t receive one or both Pandemic stimulus checks, NYC Free Tax Prep can assist with claiming the equivalent amounts as a “Recovery Rebate Credit.” Filers may also take advantage of a one-time look-back provision, allowing them to choose to use their 2019 or 2020 income for the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. This service is offered online or in person. Click here for more information. The deadline to file 2020 tax returns is April 15, 2021.