After ageing out of foster care, Neely became homeless and began spending nights on the streets, in the subway system and New York City’s shelters. New York City is one of the only places in the United States with a “right to shelter”: by law, authorities must provide a clean bed for the city’s homeless […]
CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org SHAME ON GOV. HOCHUL: FINAL STATE BUDGET FAILS MARGINALIZED NEW YORKERS ACROSS THE BOARD; ALL EYES ON LEGISLATURE TO TAKE LEAD Governor Hochul Stripped the Rights And Safety of Marginalized Communities — No Different Than GOP-Held States Across the Country NEW YORK — Last night, lawmakers voted to pass a final New York State
Contact: Mitch Schwartz, (914) 330-1026 As Assembly Passes Wrongful Convictions Bill, Advocates and Exonerees Rally in Albany to Demand Action in Senate Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act gives wrongfully-convicted New Yorkers the chance to prove their innocence ALBANY–Exonerees, advocates, and elected officials, energized by the Assembly’s passage of the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act (S.215 / A.278)
We entered 2022 riding the highs of the previous year, our most successful New YorkState legislative session ever. We knew we had our work cut out for us. Stateand city budgets placed an emphasis on gutting essential services forlow-income New Yorkers and prioritizing investments in criminalization,incarceration, and lining the pockets of the wealthiest. While elected
VOCAL-NY 2022 ANNUAL REPORT Read More »
Lezandre Kahadu was at the protest and says her son died in jail and she’s still seeking justice. She says Hochul’s planned pushback would be a “smack in her face.” “She’s putting more parents in the boat I’m in,” Kahadu says. “You keep putting these people in a place where people are dying.” Some groups
news 12 the bronx: former inmates and lawmakers hold bail reform rally: Read More »
CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org VOCAL-NY CELEBRATES PROGRESSIVE VICTORY IN CHICAGO MAYORAL RUN-OFF New York State Leadership is on Notice: Voters Want Progress, and We Won’t Settle for the Status Quo or Punitive Crime Policies of Decades Past NEW YORK — In response to Progressive Brandon Johnson being elected as Chicago’s next mayor, VOCAL-NY released the following statement, attributable to
VOCAL-NY Celebrates Progressive Victory in Chicago Mayoral Run-Off Read More »
To Jasmine Budnella, director of drug policy at VOCAL-NY, the rhetoric around breaking up supply chains is a repackaging of the same policies that have historically targeted drug users. “The way that Governor Hochul was framing it was like we would go after the Pablo Escobars of the world. But in reality, we know who
NEW YORK FOCUS: HOCHUL QUIETLY BETS ON POLICE TO BATTLE FENTANYL: Read More »
VOCAL-NY community leader Roger Clark says the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act would help him clear his name. “If it becomes law today, it will simply open up the door for me to get back into court [to] have a hearing, get discovery and—after my lawyers look through everything—have a long conversation about what’s the best
Contact: Mitch Schwartz, (914) 330-1026 State Assembly Passes the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act Major step toward giving wrongfully-convicted New Yorkers the chance to prove their innocence ALBANY–The New York State Assembly passed the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act (S. 215 / A. 2878) yesterday, a major step toward giving wrongfully-convicted New Yorkers a chance to clear
State Assembly Passes the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act Read More »
CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org VOCAL-NY APPLAUDS NYS SENATE AND ASSEMBLY FOR PRIORITIZING HOUSING AND OVERDOSE PREVENTION IN BUDGET PROPOSALS After Weeks of Advocacy in Albany, State Lawmakers Heard Concerns and Addressed Them in Their One-House Budget Proposals NEW YORK — Today, in response to the release of the Senate and Assembly One-House Budgets, VOCAL-NY released the following statement,
