Press Statements

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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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 »

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

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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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VOCAL-NY Responds To One-House Budget Proposals

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CONTACT Mariah McGough, Mariah@vocal-ny.org, 203 470 9979 VOCAL-NY RESPONDS TO ONE-HOUSE BUDGET PROPOSALS NEW YORK — In response to the New York Senate and Assembly releasing their one-house budget proposals over the weekend, VOCAL-NY released the following statement, attributable to Kim Smith, VOCAL-NY Political Director: “The Senate and Assembly’s one-house budget proposals make progress on a down payment

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VOCAL-NY RESPONDS TO BRAZEN VIOLENCE AGAINST TWO HOMELESS NEW YORKERS IN NYC

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CONTACT Celina Trowell, Celina@vocal-ny.org, 347-309-6621 VOCAL-NY RESPONDS TO BRAZEN VIOLENCE AGAINST TWO HOMELESS NEW YORKERS IN NYC NEW YORK — In response to the reports of deadly attacks on homeless New Yorkers, VOCAL-NY released the following statement attributable to Celina Trowell, Homelessness Union Organizer: “To be clear, this tragedy is the direct result of a growing reckless and hateful anti-homeless

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Lawmakers and Advocates Demand Fair And Equal Statewide Access to Lifesaving Housing Assistance for People With HIV Experiencing Homelessness or Housing Instability

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CONTACT Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org, 203 470 9979 LAWMAKERS AND ADVOCATES DEMAND FAIR AND EQUAL STATEWIDE ACCESS TO LIFESAVING HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE WITH HIV EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR HOUSING INSTABILITY  ALBANY, N.Y. — Today, people with HIV (PWH) and other advocates were joined by state lawmakers on the Million Dollar Staircase at the Capitol to demand FY23 NYS

Lawmakers and Advocates Demand Fair And Equal Statewide Access to Lifesaving Housing Assistance for People With HIV Experiencing Homelessness or Housing Instability Read More »

Mayor Adams: Budget Cuts to Services and Care Will Cause More Violence, Not Prevent It

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CONTACT Jawanza Williams, Jawanza@vocal-ny.org MAYOR ADAMS: BUDGET CUTS TO SERVICES AND CARE WILL CAUSE MORE VIOLENCE, NOT PREVENT IT NEW YORK — On Wednesday, Mayor Adams released his initial 2023 budget proposal for New York City. The proposal includes maintaining the bloated NYPD and DOC budgets, while at the same time, making cuts across the City that will starve service providers of

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Lawmakers and Advocates Demand an End to Qualified Immunity in NYS at Virtual Press Conference

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CONTACT Keli Young, Keli@vocal-ny.org  Mariah McGough, Mariah@vocal-ny.org LAWMAKERS AND ADVOCATES DEMAND AN END TO QUALIFIED IMMUNITY IN NYS AT VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE View a Recording of the Press Conference Here S1991/A4331 Would Eliminate the Defense of Qualified Immunity Which Shields Police and Correctional Officers From Civil Liability NEW YORK — Today, state lawmakers and advocates with VOCAL-NY and

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