Mariah McGough

VOCAL-NY Responds to the Police Assault of an 8-Year-Old in Syracuse

Press Statements / By

CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org VOCAL-NY RESPONDS TO THE POLICE ASSAULT OF AN 8-YEAR-OLD IN SYRACUSEThis is a Clear Example of Criminalizing Poverty SYRACUSE, N.Y. — In response to the arrest of an 8-year-old boy in Syracuse on Tuesday, VOCAL-NY released the following response: “Under no circumstance does an alleged possession of a bag of chips warrant excessive force and dismissal […]

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NEW: VOCAL-NY Releases Roadmap With Immediate Steps for Mayor Adams to Reverse Harm and End Homelessness

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CONTACT: Mariah McGough, Mariah@vocal-ny.org NEW: VOCAL-NY RELEASES ROADMAP WITH IMMEDIATE STEPS FOR MAYOR ADAMS TO REVERSE HARM AND END HOMELESSNESS Roadmap Available Online Here The Roadmap Comes Ahead of the Adams Administration’s Anticipated Housing Plan and After Hundreds of Encampment Sweeps Across the City NEW YORK — Today, after a press conference in Fulton St. Station, VOCAL-NY released a roadmap with immediate actions the Adams Administration can

NEW: VOCAL-NY Releases Roadmap With Immediate Steps for Mayor Adams to Reverse Harm and End Homelessness Read More »

Gov. Hochul, You Failed Us: VOCAL-NY Condemns Final Budget That Neglects Homeless New Yorkers and Enables Mass Incarceration

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CONTACT Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org, 203 470 9979 GOV. HOCHUL, YOU FAILED US: VOCAL-NY CONDEMNS FINAL BUDGET THAT NEGLECTS HOMELESS NEW YORKERS AND ENABLES MASS INCARCERATION After Promises to be Different Than Cuomo, Gov. Hochul Final Budget Offers More of the Same Failed Tactics, Without Investments in Evidence-Based Solutions Gov. Hochul Will Have a Direct Hand in the

Gov. Hochul, You Failed Us: VOCAL-NY Condemns Final Budget That Neglects Homeless New Yorkers and Enables Mass Incarceration Read More »

Formerly-Incarcerated New Yorkers Implore State Leadership to Uphold Bail Reform in Budget

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CONTACT: Nick Encalada-Malinowski, nick@vocal-ny.org, 347-259-4835  FORMERLY-INCARCERATED NEW YORKERS IMPLORE STATE LEADERSHIP TO UPHOLD BAIL NEW YORK — VOCAL-NY’s Civil Rights Union, composed of and led by formerly incarcerated people, their loved ones, and other people impacted by criminalization, released the following statement in response to news that the legislature will discuss bail reform tonight. The following statement is attributable to

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CBS NY: New York lawmakers struggle with bail reform as part of budget negotiations

In the News / By

Bail reform advocates made their message loud and clear as Democratic lawmakers gathered for an update on budget negotiations behind closed doors on Monday, days past the deadline. “We are here to ask lawmakers to make a conscious decision not to trade Black and Brown lives for political theater,” said John McFarlane of Vocal NY.

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Safer Consumption Services Act: 230 Organizations, Service Providers, Families Impacted by the Overdose Crisis, and People Directly Impacted Urge Legislature to Pass Life-Saving Legislation

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CONTACTJasmine Budnella, Jasmine@vocal-ny.org, 720-480-5262 Mariah McGough, Mariah@vocal-ny.org, 203-470-9979 SAFER CONSUMPTION SERVICES ACT: 230 ORGANIZATIONS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, FAMILIES IMPACTED BY THE OVERDOSE CRISIS, AND PEOPLE DIRECTLY IMPACTED URGE LEGISLATURE TO PASS LIFE-SAVING LEGISLATION   In Letter, First Covered in Times Union and Available Here, Groups Warn Lack of Action Will Result in Years of Continued Record-Breaking Preventable Overdose Deaths The Nation’s First Overdose Prevention Centers

Safer Consumption Services Act: 230 Organizations, Service Providers, Families Impacted by the Overdose Crisis, and People Directly Impacted Urge Legislature to Pass Life-Saving Legislation Read More »

Times Union: ‘It’s hard to argue with lives saved.’ As overdoses soar, calls for prevention centers grow

In the News / By

“We’re watching the legacy of Cuomo’s 10 years of underfunding, cutting funding, neglecting legislation, rejecting evidence-based solutions play out in real-time — on top of an unstable drug supply, on top of the legacy of 50 years of the drug war,” said Jasmine Budnella, director of drug policy for VOCAL-NY, a group that advocates for

Times Union: ‘It’s hard to argue with lives saved.’ As overdoses soar, calls for prevention centers grow Read More »

VOCAL-NY Applauds the BPHA Caucus’ Public Safety Plan, Calls for Investments in Harm Reduction to Keep Communities Safe

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CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org VOCAL-NY APPLAUDS THE BPHA CAUCUS’ PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN, CALLS FOR INVESTMENTS IN HARM REDUCTION TO KEEP COMMUNITIES SAFE The 10-Point Plan, a Rebuttal to Gov. Hochul’s Attempts to Rollback Reforms, Highlights Need for Care, Housing, and Decarceration NEW YORK — In response to the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative

VOCAL-NY Applauds the BPHA Caucus’ Public Safety Plan, Calls for Investments in Harm Reduction to Keep Communities Safe Read More »

City & State: NYC progressives are reclaiming “defund,” after it was used against themCity & State:

In the News / By

Two days later, organizers held the same sign again at a people’s public safety rally in City Hall Park, where VOCAL-NY organizing director Jawanza James Williams explained that it was just another way of reclaiming the term “defund.” Read More

City & State: NYC progressives are reclaiming “defund,” after it was used against themCity & State: Read More »

VOCAL-NY Slams Gov. Hochul for Rushing Through Bail Rollbacks in Last Days of Budget Session

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CONTACT Nick Encalada-Malinowski, nick@vocal-ny.org, 347-259-4835 Mariah McGough, Mariah@vocal-ny.org, 203 470 9979 VOCAL-NY SLAMS GOV. HOCHUL FOR RUSHING THROUGH BAIL ROLLBACKS IN LAST DAYS OF BUDGET SESSION NEW YORK — In response to Governor Hochul’s 10-point plan to increase mass incarceration in New York State, VOCAL-NY released the following statement, attributable to VOCAL-NY Civil Rights Union Leader Roger Clark: “It’s wrong for

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