U.S (VOCAL NEW-YORK) : VOCAL-NY Guide to Your Week !

 

 

 

Upcoming Events.

Thursday, March 24 @ 11AM : NYC Rally Against Governor Hochul's Mass Pretrial Incarceration Plan : The Governor is trying to force through extreme rollbacks to bail and discovery reform, behind closed doors. She is refusing to meet our demands for community investments and wants to lock up more people instead.   Where : 633 Third Ave, Manhattan (at 41st Street). Trains : 4,5,6,7,S to Grand Central--42nd Street. RSVP : HERE. Contact : nick@vocal-ny.org

Save the Date !

Monday, March 28 @ 6AM-7PM : Lobby day at the Capitol : Get on the bus as we head to Albany to protest Governor Hochul's Mass Pretrial Incarceration Plan. Where : Meetup at Walgreens in Union Square - 145 4th Avenue, Manhattan.Trains : 4,5,6,L,N,Q,R to Union Square. RSVP : HERE. Contact : Luis, luis@vocal-ny.org, 347-425-3068.     Thursday, April 7 @ 11AM — Users Union Statewide Day of Action ! Join us for a press conference and rally to urge the NYS legislature pass two critical, life saving overdose prevention bills : Safer Consumption Services Act and Buprenorphine Decriminalization. There will be events in Rochester, Albany and NYC.   RSVP for an event in your city by CLICKING HERE! Contact : Biz (413.406.8838 | biz@vocal-ny.org)

Week in Review

On Thursday, after claiming she would “not cave to pressure” on rolling back bail reform, Governor Hochul released a 10-point plan to increase mass incarceration in New York State. Her plan will make major moves to roll back bail, discovery, and raise the age reforms. The plan comes in the last weeks of the budget session – leaving very little room for transparency – and replicates the Cuomo administration's playbook, despite Hochul aiming to set herself apart from her predecessor. In response, Civil Rights Union leader, Roger Clark, was quoted in VOCAL-NY’s statement : “It’s wrong for the Governor to cave to pressure on bail, discovery and raise the age. Those have been good reforms that have helped a lot of people and that are unconnected to any violence that we are seeing in the streets. It’s especially hurtful to see the Lieutenant Governor, who was an advocate for criminal justice reform and as a Black man from Harlem who knows the harms of the system, roll over.”

#VOCAL Vaccinated Updates

In December, VOCAL-NY joined the NY Vaccine Literacy Campaign and The Public Good Projects in hosting the townhall "How to Talk to Loved Ones About Getting Vaccinated." The virtual discussion took place just a the Omicron variant began spreading across the state of New York, a reminder of how important it is to help our loved ones make informed choices about protecting themselves with the vaccine.  The discussion featured panelists from different backgrounds, including : Joe Smyser, PhD, MSPH, CEO, The Public Good Projects Hiawatha Collins, Board Member, VOCAL-NY Yin Ting Fung, MA, Excluded Workers Fund Data & Intake Coordinator, Union Settlement Julian L. Watkins, MD, Health Equity Advisor, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Watch the recording of the full discussion here to learn different ways to have a conversation with loved ones about the vaccine !

What We're Reading.

City Limits : “Targeted Attacks on Unsheltered New Yorkers Highlight Dangers of Homelessness” Politico : “Eric Adams is daring the left to take him on — and they’re game” News12 : “Proposed program that would help New Yorkers who are unable to pay rent closer to becoming reality”

We're Hiring ! VOCAL-NY has open positions for dynamic individuals who are committed to building power among low-income people directly impacted by HIV/AIDS, the drug war, mass incarceration, and homelessness. NYC Political Coordinator Finance Manager Hepatitis C Peer Health Navigator (Part Time) Housing Campaigns Director GROW Field Captain Drop-in Program Associate

Consider Donating Here

VOCAL-NY PO Box 170374 Brooklyn, NY 11217-1908 info@vocal-ny.org | 718-802-9540