The Fight to Close Rikers

Rikers Island comprises 10 jails (6 active, 4 vacant), with over 14,700 beds and housing the vast majority of the 5,720 people held by the NYC Department of Corrections (as of 9/27/21). Conditions in the complex are notoriously poor, and the urgency to close the facility is only increasing.

 

On September 10th, the chief medical officer on Rikers Island wrote a letter to the City Council detailing the rapidly declining situation: “In 2021 we have witnessed a collapse in basic jail operations, such that today I do not believe the City is capable of safely managing the custody of those it is charged with incarcerating in its jails.” Days later, prompted by the sharp uptick in violence, NYC elected officials visited Rikers, where they found people being held in showers without access to restrooms and witnessed a suicide attempt. Recently released former detainees have further detailed the current conditions on the island.

 

Reports of these atrocities are horrific, but some progress is being made. On Friday September 17th, Governor Hochul signed the Less is More Act. This bill was created to address a disturbingly common practice in New York State: automatically re-incarcerating people on parole for technical violations – such as missing curfew or failing to file a change of address form on time – most of the time without a hearing of any kind. Across the state, around 5,000 people each year have been put back in jail for these non-criminal offenses. During Covid, this unnecessary practice took on a new dimension of danger, throwing people into an unnecessarily high-risk scenario and contributing to the spread of the public health crisis in carceral facilities. The first person to die from Covid at Rikers Island was being held for a technical parole violation: missing an appointment with his parole offer. Michael Tyson was 53 years old.

 

The Less is More Act eliminates re-incarceration as a response for most technical parole violations. It bolsters due process by creating a system for violations to be responded to with a written notice to appear at a hearing within 30 days. The Center for Court Innovation estimates that by passing the Less is More Act, the jail population at Rikers will be reduced by 400-500 people each year. 

 

Still, a full 92% of Rikers detainees are being held pre-trial, meaning they have been accused of a crime but have not yet had access to a fair trial. So to reduce the number of people on Rikers (and therefore make its eventual closure more politically achievable), the city needs more robust decarceration. This means reducing people’s contact with the police, police decreasing their arrest numbers, District Attorneys (DAs) not asking for bail, and judges not granting it. Instead, people should await trial in their own homes, where they’re better able to prepare and less willing to take a plea deal solely to leave the hellish conditions at Rikers. 

 

There’s still much to be done, but we can put pressure right now on DAs and judges, who wield their power in NY courtrooms to send hundreds of people to Rikers every day. They can immediately reduce the Rikers population by changing their practices in court to abide by NYS’s bail laws, which require judges to choose “the least restrictive method that will ensure a person’s return to court” when deciding whether to detain someone pre-trial. And while we challenge DAs to change their behavior, we can also take action as a community to pool our resources and bail out our neighbors. Donations to COVID Bail Out NYC will go immediately towards helping get people off Rikers island by paying their bail.

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

Come to October Chapter on 10/7!

How do we build an effective movement for racial justice in NYC which not only counters white supremacy in ourselves and the world around us, but also takes action in relationship with BIPOC-led organizations in our fight for collective liberation? How do we make the most impactful contribution to radical change?

The October 7th Chapter Meeting will be about the Past, Present and Future of SURJ NYC. Together, we’ll participate in an exercise revisiting the outcomes of our 2018-19 Strategic Planning Process, and assess our progress thus far. By collectively looking at the past and sharing our understanding of the present, we’ll start our work to begin shaping the future of SURJ NYC.

We know that when we act together, our actions are more powerful and amplified. But what does that look like, and how do we get there? In 2018, SURJ NYC initiated a Strategic Planning Process to assess what, where, when, why, and how to most effectively work in a multiracial movement for racial justice in NYC, and how to best align around a shared theory of change. Over the course of four collaborative sessions, and guided by adrienne maree brown’s Emergent Strategies, we examined who we are, interrogated our political assumptions, clarified our goals, and put concrete steps in place toward achieving them. We worked together to create a “theory of change,” which seeks to end white supremacy through adopting and growing methods and practices—calling-in workshops, direct actions, fundraising—that help us create quantifiable medium- and long-term outcomes on the path towards this ultimate goal.

Two years later as we embark on an examination of accountability practices, we want to take a moment to reflect. How are we doing? What has worked and what hasn’t? Where do we need to grow? What are our next steps? If you are new to the chapter, we especially want to hear what you find exciting and impactful. Register here to join us!

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

Our Flawed Immigration System

Last month the United States ended its twenty-year war in Afghanistan, creating an acute and visible refugee crisis. While the outpouring of support for Afghan refugees is heartening, we must also consider who the US immigration system deems worthy of access and entry. The system is not broken; it is working exactly as designed to perpetuate white supremacy and prevent people from entering the country by insisting they follow a set of impossible rules.

The flawed system is most evident in the severe crisis at the southern border, where refugees remain trapped in Mexico in hopes that ever-changing rules will permit them to enter the US. Waiting in inhumane conditions with minimal access to legal representation, these asylum seekers are particularly easy prey for gangs and violence. Those who try to get around restrictions at “legal” crossings are treated as criminals and detained. The only people not being systematically turned back are unaccompanied minors -- forcing families to make heartbreaking choices.

With its network of detention centers and lack of accountability, ICE has become a large and violent branch of the prison-industrial complex that further exemplifies the punitive nature of US immigration policy. Most migrants in detention have only committed the “crime” of coming to the US. During the pandemic ICE detention centers have failed to follow basic health protocols, causing COVID to run rampant. Detainees who have spoken out face retaliation.

After facing imprisonment, family separation, forced sterilization and gratuitous cruelty, asylum seekers may finally make it across the border only to encounter another set of systemic barriers. A migrant may have to wait a year to obtain a work permit. In most states, undocumented immigrants can’t get a driver’s license, making even a commute to work incredibly risky. And any minor interaction with police can escalate to a deportation proceeding.

The cycle never ends. There is no path to citizenship for people who come here the “wrong” way. Non-citizen essential workers responding to COVID continue to face roadblocks to relief, as do those who aided with 9/11 recovery. People who arrived as children nearly had a solution with DACA before it was threatened with repeal. The racial element to these barriers is clear.

But there are positive developments. Locally, there has been a movement to reduce ICE’s influence: New Jersey recently passed legislation to ban future ICE contracts and similar legislation - the Dignity Not Detention Act - is now under consideration in New York. Read below for ways to get involved!

How to get involved:

  1. Asylum Seekers Sponsorship Project matches asylum seekers in detention with people able to offer housing and support. Many asylum seekers have to have a sponsor to be released from detention. Donate or consider becoming a sponsor.

  2. Email your state representatives to support the Dignity Not Detention Act to end ICE detention in New York State!
    Email template here; legislation background here.

  3. Join the next #FreeThemAll phone zap - every Friday at noon.

  4. Join the SURJ immigration squad if you want to hear more, have a conversation with someone, or just join our email list. Our next meeting is October 5 at 7pm--keep an eye on this newsletter for more details as we near that date!

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

Racial Justice and Abortion Access

Last week, the Supreme Court allowed Texas to enact a law effectively banning abortion beyond six weeks. This is devastating to people whose right to bodily autonomy has been shattered by this decision, and it does not bode well for the challenge to Roe v. Wade out of Mississippi this past year. At least a dozen states have attempted to enact similar bans in the past and been blocked by Roe. Texas is the first state to successfully put such harsh restrictions in place, and it sets a frightening precedent for other states to follow suit.  

This ban will disproportionately affect people of color, especially Black people. Marcela Howell, President of the reproductive justice organization In Our Own Voice, notes that “Black women already face barriers to accessing reproductive health care, the kinds of barriers that can delay abortion care until the second trimester. Now, the safest, most common abortion procedure used in the second trimester will be unavailable in Texas.” Banning abortion after six weeks is effectively a total ban--many people don’t even know they’re pregnant at the six week mark. Access to abortion is a human right, necessary healthcare and essential to bodily autonomy.

Indigenous folks have also long struggled to access abortion due to resource scarcity at the Indian Health Service (IHS)--a fact made all the more painful given the IHS’s history of forcibly sterilizing Indigenous women. The United States has a long history of seeking to control and restrict the reproductive decisions of BIPOC folks, limiting access to abortion while simultaneously failing to enact laws that prioritize holistic reproductive care is just the latest example. The TX legislature is already moving to ban Plan B, and it’s not much of a leap to see that they will try to ban birth control after that. They have been aiming for this moment for 50 years and now that the levers are in place they are going to move very quickly. They are crystal clear about why they are doing this and to whom, so we need to get crystal clear on how we fight. The law will not stop abortion - only safe abortion.

While we encourage you to support the fight in Texas, we also ask that you channel your energy into considering what we might do in NY to better facilitate access to abortion and other reproductive healthcare. As Chris Love, the Board Chair of Planned Parenthood Advocates Arizona commented in a January article “I’m constantly reminded that meaningful abortion access is not a reality for many folks in Black communities across this country and around the world.” As we look to continue to fight for the bodily rights of people in Texas and other states, we should also consider how we might create more accessible solutions here too.

Articles for further reading:

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

Housing Justice, Evictions, and the Pandemic

The CDC federal eviction moratorium was just extended through October 3rd thanks to the hard work of Black congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), progressives, and other activists. Together, they protested and exerted political pressure while the majority of representatives from both parties adjourned for summer vacation. However, questions remain as to what will happen when this short-lived moratorium yet again expires and if/when there will be long term relief. Federal renters’ aid is also at issue as only $3 billion of a $45 billion relief package has been distributed to renters.

The New York eviction moratorium is expiring at the end of this month and thousands of New Yorkers are in danger of losing their homes. These evictions will disproportionately affect BIPOC and poor and working class folks. New York tenants have been promised rent relief, yet they have received little to no aid from the state's Emergency Rental Assistance Program despite its initial rollout in June. Since then, New Yorkers have received a grand total of $117,000 in rent relief, which is only enough to cover one month of rent for less than 100 people.

While thousands are facing eviction at the end of the month, the currently unhoused population in NYC is dealing with forced transfers and street sweeps despite the risk of exacerbating the spread of the Delta Variant. Shelter residents who had been temporarily moved to hotels for pandemic safety are now being purged from them after the mayor caved to the pressure of wealthy, mostly white communities balking at the presence of unhoused people in their neighborhoods. Some unhoused citizens are being sent to high risk environments of congregate shelters and others, who may have medical issues, are being sent to hotels which are not equipped to meet their needs.

Locally, we need to put pressure on the mayor to reach just solutions to homelessness. On the federal and state levels we most focus on distributing rent relief and maintaining eviction moratoriums. The Housing Justice Coalition will be demanding an extension on the eviction moratorium until the end of June, 2022.

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

Reckoning with Racism at the Olympics

As the Tokyo Games continue to dominate headlines, we must acknowledge the legacy of racism in the Olympics and in the sports world in general. While the Olympics claim to be apolitical and race-neutral, white supremacy is playing out this year at all levels. Once again, we’re seeing BIPOC bodies objectified as commodities -- ones that the IOC and the world think they are entitled to -- while mental health and safety are deprioritized.

Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka have recently spoken out about mental health and shed light on the immense pressure faced by BIPOC athletes, particularly women. Biles, a gold medal favorite, withdrew herself from Olympic competition citing her mental state. Osaka withdrew herself from the French Open and Wimbledon this year for similar reasons. While there has been an outpouring of support, both Biles and Osaka have also faced a slew of media attacks. BIPOC athletes are continually expected to bend to white supremacist expectations, and are vilified for using their platform to call attention to injustice, as the reactions Gwen Berry and Raven Saunders have show most recently.

Racist double standards abound-- from the suspension of Sha'Carri Richardson for marijuana use while white soccer star Megan Rapinoe is celebrated for promoting CBD, to the banning of Brianna McNeal, to the disqualification of two Black female runners for heightened testosterone levels, a standard directly aimed at shutting out Black South African runner Caster Semanya in 2018.

Blatant racism and exploitation continue in the sports world beyond the Olympics. It took years for a rule change by the NCAA allowing college athletes to access the wealth they create. Prior to that, BIPOC athletes brought in millions for schools and coaches without receiving income or retaining rights to their own names and likenesses. Black and brown bodies should never be commodified to enrich white institutions or individuals. No one is entitled to an athlete’s labor. We need to move our money and channel our advocacy to organizations that promote equity in sports so BIPOC athletes are treated justly and given the access and support they deserve.

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

What makes it possible to be together, in a pandemic and beyond?

We’ll get right to the point: Whether you’ve never been to a SURJ NYC event or you’ve been to tons, we need you to fill out this 10-minute survey. Here’s why:

It’s been a long year of hard work—from supporting last summer’s uprisings by orienting over 1,000 new people to SURJ NYC, to powerful organizing of anti-racist voters in the elections last month—all in the middle of coping with new kinds of isolation. It’s no surprise that many of us are longing to get to see each other in person.

We’re all balancing that longing with real risks to our safety, and our levels of risk are different. Vaccinations don’t completely protect any of us from this virus. Some of us are less protected than others. Some still can’t get the vaccine. Vaccination aside—some of us have only been able to be a part of SURJ this year because everything has been online.

The bottom line is this: we want to find safe ways to be together, but we cannot act as if the pandemic is over, and we refuse to return to a “normal” that systematically excludes disabled folks. So we’re taking this moment to step back and check in with our members.

Every one of us has access needs, from where and when things happen to the physical conditions of a space we’re in. This survey will help us learn as much about those needs as possible, so we can radically welcome everyone who wants to be a part of SURJ.

With this in mind, there are two kinds of questions in this survey:

  1. Questions about your comfort with joining events in the next few months, particularly considering Covid-19.

  2. Questions about what you might need to be able to join our events in general; online and in-person, now and into the future.

Whether you’ve never been to a SURJ NYC event or you’ve been to 20 in the last year, we need to hear from you. Will you take 10 minutes to fill out this survey?

Thank you for helping us get better at making SURJ NYC a place for everyone committed to the fight for racial justice.

Onward,

SURJ NYC

P.S. The next opportunity to be together is chapter meeting next week, where we’ll be learning and taking action to end immigrant detention in New York State. Make sure you register here to join us, Thursday August 5th at 6:30pm!

A New York Beyond Police

On June 30, 2021, over a year after the international uprising against racism and police brutality began, the New York City Council passed a budget that increased NYPD funding by half a billion dollars. City Council ignored calls from Black and brown organizers to divest from policing and invest in housing, homeless services, mental healthcare, and education in one of the least transparent budget processes in recent memory.

There’s been a lot of news coverage lately about “rising crime,” and this narrative dominated both the recent election cycle and budget discussions, with many council members citing it as a reason to increase the NYPD’s budget. But crime statistics are frequently manipulated to fit pro-police agendas, and there is little evidence that crime is actually spiking in our city. Many NYC mayoral candidates also used this false narrative about rising crime during their campaigns, including Andrew Yang, Kathryn Garcia and Eric Adams, who on July 6 was declared the winner of the Democratic primary.

Black voters are not a monolith, and Adams’ win will mean different things for different groups of Black and brown New Yorkers. Adams will likely be elected mayor this November, which would make him only the second Black mayor in NYC history. He spent decades in city government advocating for police reform before becoming Brooklyn Borough President. But Adams is also a former cop who opposes both defunding the police and removing police from schools, and his positions are generally not aligned with our partners’ demands.

Although this is not the mayor many of us hoped for, there is proof that New Yorkers are looking for change, especially when it comes to policing. Progressive candidates -- like Alexa Avilés, Tiffany Cabán, Shahana Hanif, Kristin Richardson Jordan, Brad Lander, Antonio Reynoso and Jumaane Williams, to name a few -- ran on platforms of defunding the police and investing in community care and won. Our work in the Beyond Policing Working Group continues as we follow our partners’ leads in fighting to defund the NYPD. Will you join us?

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

P.S. We’re excited to invite you to our next monthly meeting and upcoming fundraisers for one of our partner organizations, Communities United for Police Reform. Check out these events:

Voting Rights in New York and Beyond

This month's 6-3 Supreme Court decision to uphold two voting provisions in Arizona was a major blow to the rights of BIPOC voters and dissolved much of what remained of the civil-rights-era Voting Rights Act. The decision came shortly after a Republican filibuster in June blocked the For the People Act, which would have significantly expanded voting rights.

The White House has responded to these threats to democracy with a $25 million DNC initiative to register voters and combat voter suppression. However, both the Black Voters Matter Fund and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund are criticizing the Biden administration for moving too slowly and not following through on promises for an extensive presidential speaking tour to tackle the issue.

Meanwhile, New York is facing its own election crisis. The mayoral primary last month brought scrutiny to the Board of Elections (BOE) when 135,000 sample ballots were inadvertently included in the tally of partial results. The error gave ammunition to Trump allies who used it to justify voter suppression legislation in other states. Mitch McConnell blamed the snafu on ranked-choice voting, which is unpopular among conservatives. Despite these criticisms, exit polls from Common Cause and Rank the Vote NYC show high levels of trust in the ranked-choice system, and primary results have the city council poised to be the most diverse in NYC’s history.

Advocates of ranked choice voting defend the practice, raising the alternate concern that NYC’s Board of Elections is made up of politically appointed commissioners who are rarely held accountable for ongoing failures. They have called for an amendment to adequately fund the election administration and to introduce merit-based hiring, with the goal of a BOE composed of experienced non-partisan election officials.

It is vital that we advocate for an expansion of voting rights and elections transparency at all levels. Voter education efforts won’t matter if people are turned away at the polls or discouraged from even trying in the first place. We need to ensure folks know their rights and options for voting, and here in NYC, lobby our officials for BOE reform. Action doesn’t end at the ballot box, but voting is a crucial mechanism for change that should be as easy and accessible as possible.

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC


P.S. EGG will be meeting the week of July 18th to reflect and discuss the EGG initiative. In the meantime, could you please fill out this survey to collect your thoughts while they are still fresh in your head? Thanks! And thank you for your participation in this new endeavor.

Grappling with the Climate Crisis

As the nation is hit with multiple deadly heat waves this summer we are reminded of the intersection of climate change and racial justice. This past week the NYC area has had multiple days of heat advisories with New Yorkers being asked to conserve power as the grid was pushed to the brink. This has raised serious questions about infrastructure both locally and throughout the country. The homeless, the elderly, and migrant farmworkers are especially vulnerable as are those currently in prison, where extreme heat is often fatal.

Across the country climate change and pollution are shown to more severely impact Black and brown communities than the general population. Last week, many people noticed that power outages were far more common in neighborhoods with primarily non-white residents, with the majority of outages in Queens, Brooklyn, and East Harlem. Moreover, heat deaths are much higher among BIPOC populations. Black people account for close to half of the heat related deaths in the city between 2000 and 2012.

New York, which has the nation's highest rate of building emissions and fossil fuel consumption, is failing in its climate change response. While NYC often bills itself as a leader on climate related issues, climate scientists and organizers point to shortcomings in its response to extreme heat. Cooling centers, a necessary life saving measure for vulnerable populations, fell short during this most recent heat wave. Pressure must be applied on the local level as a new mayor and city council members are soon to be seated.

Current record-breaking heat waves are expected to worsen as the climate crisis intensifies. With climate crises becoming the norm we need national, state, and local leadership to address the issue with the urgency it deserves. Dozens were arrested last week when Sunrise Movement demonstrators blockaded the White House, calling for a more robust plan to tackle climate change as part of Biden's Infrastructure Deal. Globally, Indigenous communities, who are also disproportionately affected by environmental destruction, are seeking a place at the table to address climate change. Now more than ever we must understand that Climate Justice is Racial Justice.

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

Reconsidering American Freedom

With Independence Day approaching on the heels of Juneteenth, we’re going to be hearing a lot about American freedom -- and we want to question the nature of that “freedom.” Who was considered “free” in 1776? What does “independence” mean today to people who are incarcerated, Indigenous, or whose ancestors were enslaved? The Fourth of July was a declaration of economic freedom and a testimony to capitalism, but that economic “freedom” of America was built with slavery. As the rest of the world in the eighteenth century was moving away from a slave economy, America was doubling down by breaking ties with Europe and tightening its grip on an economy based on treating human lives as property.

While Juneteenth reminds us that chattel slavery in the United States did eventually end, we must acknowledge the modern iteration of the slave economy: prison labor. The majority of incarcerated Americans are people of color being put to work making things like office furniture and military equipment for negligible pay. Indeed, some prisons themselves were former plantations.

The echoes of slavery do not end with the prison industrial complex. They reverberate across every element of our working reality. Perhaps you’re reading this email from your desk. Maybe you work for a multinational corporation that runs like a machine: you report to someone, and someone reports to you. Everything is tracked, recorded and analyzed. Data seems to hold sway over every operation. It feels like a cutting-edge approach to management, but many of these techniques that we now take for granted were developed by and for large plantations.

Lastly, let’s be mindful of the stolen land on which we celebrate American liberty. Stolen land that was farmed by stolen people in the name of freedom. This Independence Day, take time to reflect on the indigenous and enslaved people exploited by racial capitalism, people who deserve respect and reparations for what was taken from them in the name of American independence.

As we discussed last week, there are many ways we can support reparations efforts. Among other things, call your representatives to demand that HR40, to study proposals for reparations, be passed at the federal level.

And as always, see below for more ways to take action and show up in the coming days.

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

How Can We Support Reparations Efforts?

Last week Juneteenth was designated a federal holiday after decades of effort. While many applaud the long-awaited acknowledgment of the date commemorating the end of slavery, the gesture is largely symbolic as long as systemic racism continues to prevail, from police departments being further militarized and not held accountable and states banning the teaching of critical race theory to the unremitting growth of the racial wealth gap.

The racial wealth gap is the direct result of 400 years of racist policies and practices without repair, from slavery to Jim Crow, from the 1921 Tulsa race massacre to redlining to the so-called “war on drugs”. As of 2019, Black families' wealth was less than 15% of the wealth of white families. While not all white people come from a place of generational wealth, we still have a responsibility to champion wealth redistribution and harm repair due to the privilege and power we carry. The demand for reparations is not only about money, and unlike mutual aid, is not simply about individual wealth redistribution. It is an acknowledgement of systemic harm and a call for a rethinking of racist political and economic structures.

The call for reparations is an old movement which is presently gaining ground. A ten-point plan has been drafted by the National African-American Reparations Commission (NAARC) which involves a holistic approach to reparations. This past May, Bill HR40, which would create a commission to research and recommend how to provide reparations for Black people, was finally passed out of committee thirty-two years after first being introduced. House leadership has committed to getting it to the floor for a vote this year. In New York state, the reparations bill passed the assembly earlier this month. In California, a task force to study reparations--similar to the HR40 federal proposal--was formed in early June.

Now is the time to act in support of reparations at the personal, local, state, and federal level. See below for actions you can take today to support these efforts.

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

P.S. Don’t forget to vote in the New York City primary today!! Here’s our toolkit for how to be an anti-racist voter this June.

Racial Justice on the Ballot

We know that many people who believe in fighting racism do not always consider themselves “political” and may choose not to participate in the electoral process. While we agree that there are many reasons to be skeptical of electoral politics, SURJ NYC strongly encourages you to participate in the upcoming Democratic primary on June 22nd. If we want to secure true systemic change by forming a more racially just city, we have a responsibility as white people to show up and elect officials who are committed to fighting for those goals.

Throughout much of this primary race certain candidates have beaten the drum of being tough on crime, but we ask you to see that for what it is: propaganda intended to scare New Yorkers into going back to the eras of Bloomberg and Giuliani. Instead of moving backwards, we have an opportunity to help construct a more racially just city that is truly dedicated to helping communities in the most need. A city that knows that “tough on crime” does not equal “safety.”

Here’s how you can stay informed and get more involved:

While SURJ NYC isn’t endorsing any specific candidates, we have been specifically asked by our community partners to not rank Eric Adams or Andrew Yang for mayor or Tali Farhadian Weinstein for Manhattan DA.

Please join us in being an anti-racist voter and link-up with your friends, family, and neighbors too! These connections will be useful long after the June primaries.

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

Pride, Protests, and Police

On June 28th, 1970, the first Pride marches in America were held in New York City and Los Angeles as part of Christopher Street Liberation Day, which commemorated the one-year anniversary of the six-day Stonewall Uprising. Sparked by a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, the Stonewall Uprising was initiated primarily by gay and trans people of color--most famously Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera--who were fed up with systemic racist, homophobic, and transphobic police harassment and violence. Though not the only such protest of the time, it is often seen as the beginning of the modern day queer rights movement.

Pride is a time for celebration, but also a time for remembrance of how far we’ve come and how far there is yet to go. The intersection of homophobia, transphobia, and race is ever-present in the ongoing fight for queer liberation. Black and brown trans folk continue to be subject to horrific levels of violence, with 2020 being the deadliest year on record. Transgender people are four times more likely than cisgender people to experience police violence, including sexual assault. According to Amnesty International, NYPD officers often fail to acknowledge the nature of hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people and have historically responded with victim-blaming and violence. Just last year, a crowd at the Queer Liberation March was pepper sprayed by police, while others were arrested at Washington Square Park. The recently announced ban of uniformed NYPD officers from the Pride parade through 2025 is the result of a years-long effort to create safer spaces for marginalized communities, particularly BIPOC and LGBTQ+ folks, who face ongoing police violence within Pride events and beyond.

We can support this effort in myriad ways. We can pressure our elected city officials over the next two weeks to defund the police and pass a budget for 2022 that advances racial justice. We can vote in the NYC primaries on June 22nd to ensure representatives have aligned stances on racial justice and LGBTQ+ rights and protections. And we can move money towards mutual aid funds and grassroots organizations that support and protect LGBTQ+ people of color. The first Pride was a riot, and we can honor that legacy through action.

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

P.S. Early voting for the NYC primaries begins this Saturday, June 12th! Find your early voting poll site here.

End ICE Detention for Immigration

Despite their campaign promises to end deportation and close family detention centers, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have been anything but immigrant friendly over their time in office. In just 120 days, the Biden administration has deported nearly 500,000 people.

ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) operates four detention centers in the NYC area, all in New Jersey, in counties run by Democrats: three in the Bergen, Essex, and Hudson county jails, plus the privately owned Elizabeth Detention Center. These detention centers cage the mostly Black and brown immigrants arrested by ICE in NYC.

But remember: ICE doesn’t arrest people for committing crimes; it arrests people for violating immigration regulations, which are civil offenses, not criminal. It is ICE itself that criminalizes them, often compounding the racism of the criminal legal system by targeting immigrants for deportation who’ve been incarcerated or had contact with the police. On top of that, the pandemic has revealed the threat to public health posed by detention centers, with unsafe conditions making them hotbeds of COVID-19 infection.

For over a year now, SURJ NYC members have been calling state and county officials, testifying at public meetings, raising funds for detained people and their families, and rallying and protesting with the Abolish ICE NY-NJ Coalition, which organizes to free people from ICE detention—and, ultimately, to end detention and abolish ICE—while supporting detained immigrants and their families. Coalition demands originate from detained people themselves, organizers include formerly detained people, and an important part of the coalition’s work is uplifting and supporting the organizing of people in detention, such as ongoing hunger strikes to protest conditions and win release. 

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

P.S. Feeling overwhelmed by all the candidates you have to choose between on June 22nd?? Join us at this Thursday’s chapter meeting to get informed and involved in the two weeks before this important primary election!

How Can We Build an Anti-Racist City Budget?

It’s been one year since George Floyd was murdered by Officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, sparking an international uprising against police violence. Over the past year we’ve witnessed an increase in mainstream support for defunding the police, but the movement to do so is neither new nor radical--Black and brown organizers have known for generations that police do not keep us safe, and that real safety comes from divesting in policing and investing in community care, like funding for schools, public health, and affordable housing.

This movement originated with Black and brown New Yorkers in directly impacted communities, and, as white anti-racist New Yorkers, we cannot disengage. It is incumbent upon us to amplify these demands. In the coming weeks, New York City council members will have the opportunity to shape the budget and residents will have the chance to vote in a historic primary election.

Earlier this month, the NYPD presented the City Council with their proposed budget for next year, asking for more money and more personnel and revealing that they had gone $130 million over budget for overtime in the past year. During the hearing, NYPD leadership also lied about kettling protestors last summer and gave vague answers about whether or not police officers who brutalized protestors were ever disciplined.

This year, we need to keep up the momentum and demand that our council members fight for a budget that advances racial justice in this city. The NYPD requires the complicity of white New Yorkers in order to continue killing and brutalizing Black and brown New Yorkers, harassing, abusing, and assaulting sex workers, and creating a massive war chest in order to build a surveillance state. We must use everything in our power to push back against this system of violence.

However, we cannot rely on this year’s budget cycle alone to transform policing in our city. The upcoming primary elections in June represent an opportunity to elect officials who will be accountable to Black and brown frontline organizers. This year, SURJ NYC is making its first foray into the NYC electoral arena because we know that the stakes could not be higher. With five weeks remaining to fundamentally transform our city government, we need all hands on deck. Will you join us? See below for actions and resources on how to use your vote and voice to move money away from the NYPD and toward programs that actually support our communities.

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

Palestinian Liberation Is Racial Justice

Around the world, Nakba Day commemorates the day of catastrophe on May 15, 1948, when Zionist forces began a violent campaign of ethnic cleansing and expulsion of Palestinians from their homes to establish the state of Israel. This May 15 marked 73 years of Palestinian resistance, with the world watching as the Israeli government, military, and their supporters have renewed efforts to violently displace Palestinians in Jerusalem neighborhoods and waged violence and destruction across Gaza.

At SURJ, we condemn Israel’s continued violence against Palestinians and occupation of their land, as well as the U.S. government’s $3.8 billion in military aid to Israel each year. We condemn the settler colonialism that has killed and displaced millions. We understand that critiquing the Israeli government or Zionism is not antisemitic, and we stand with Jewish people around the world demanding human rights and dignity for Palestinians. Palestinian liberation is racial justice. This squares with our own belief in collective liberation and the idea that every person has the right to safety and freedom from persecution.

To learn more, we urge you to read a joint statement on Nakba 73 from Palestinians in North America and a statement from Jewish Voice for Peace. As the joint statement says, “To this day, colonization and dispossession remain ongoing processes, where Palestinians continue to endure land theft and encroachments on their basic rights. Despite the multiple decades of Zionist brutality, our resilient people remain committed to resisting Zionist settler-colonialism and to the liberation of Palestine.”

White supremacy, violence, and oppression impact people around the world. To learn more about how our liberation is intrinsically intertwined with that of our neighbors and oppressed people everywhere, register to join us this Thursday at 8PM ET for the SURJ National webinar “Palestinian Liberation is a Racial Justice Issue.” Leaders from Arab Resource Organizing Center, Friends of Sabeel North America, Catalyst Project, and SURJ-Faith will discuss what’s going on in Israel and Palestine right now, how we got here, and how Palestinian liberation ties into SURJ’s broader vision for collective liberation.

Today is a global day of action in solidarity with the Palestinian uprising and general strike. Palestinians around the world are striking and solidarity actions are planned in cities across the US. You can join in NYC at 1pm at the Israeli Consulate.

From New York to Palestine, this is a time for us to act in solidarity as we work for a world where all people are free and can thrive for generations to come. See below for ways to get involved and take action.

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

P.S. Did you know we have an emerging immigration justice group? SURJ NYC members are working with the Abolish ICE NY-NJ Coalition, which organizes to free New Yorkers and New Jerseyans from ICE detention—and, ultimately, to end detention and abolish ICE. We’ll be highlighting this work in an upcoming email, but to get involved now, attend the next meeting on May 26 or sign up for a one-on-one chat to learn more. Also join the next Abolish ICE #FreeThemAll phone zap, 12-1pm this Friday, May 21!

Unionizing Amazon Workers for Safety and Protection

When Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama made a historic drive to unionize, the company employed aggressive tactics, ultimately defeating the efforts. Although unsuccessful, the attention has galvanized workers across the country to walkout in protest of the company's sick leave policies and safety measures. The connection between racial justice and workers’ rights cannot be understated as the fight continues in Alabama and across the US. Nationwide, Black workers make up about 1 in 9 workers overall, but represent about 1 in 6 front-line industry workers. In Bessemer, the union estimates that roughly 85 percent of the warehouse’s workforce is Black.

Locally, workers across warehouses and facilities in Staten Island are trying to unionize, led by the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), an independent, worker-led group, and The Congress of Essential Workers (TCOEW), a labor-activism group founded by former Amazon worker Chris Smalls, who was fired last March after organizing protests against working conditions. Following Smalls’ class action lawsuit and broader criticism of the company’s COVID-19 response, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit in February and sent a letter in late April, stating that Amazon may have violated federal safety standards and broken state whistleblower laws in the firing of Smalls. After the organizing started last month, Amazon began anti-union campaigning in the New York facilities with warehouse TV and other messaging.

As economic inequality continues to rise, this year could be important for labor unions. Though union membership is at a historic low, workers in Bessemer, Staten Island, and beyond have come together to seek better protections. In March, the House also passed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), the first worker-friendly labor law reform since 1935, which expands workers’ ability to join and organize unions. And just last week, NY state lawmakers recently signed the HERO, or New York Health and Essential Rights Act, to provide additional protections for works. While these are all valuable beginnings, we know that legal protection doesn’t always mean on-the-ground protection. Unions empower workers to ensure their employers actually abide by employment laws.

Today and into the future, we need to think about where we put our money and find alternatives to big corporations. We can learn about the labor movement and make sure workers are protected by federal and local labor laws. We can lobby for politicians to increase worker protections and support those who will prioritize workers’ rights and safety in the upcoming local New York elections. As always, see below for more ways to plug in and show up.

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

Come Phonebank with EGG!

Last fall, dozens of SURJ members engaged in organizing white folks around electoral politics, making calls to Georgia voters about the presidential election and Senate run-offs. Through this powerful and fulfilling experience we learned that having honest and vulnerable conversations about racial justice can inspire other white folks to antiracist action at the ballot box and beyond. And we’re excited to bring this energy to the NYC mayoral election!

In 2013, the last mayoral election without an incumbent, only 20% of New Yorkers voted in the primary, and the unfortunate reality is that many white folks have already set their sights on this election as an opportunity to advance their racist and classist agendas. Ultra-rich real estate interests have spent millions of dollars mobilizing Republicans and Independents to change their registration with the aim to elect conservative Democrats who will uphold a status quo that has proved itself to be dangerous, inhumane, and unacceptable time and time again.

But it doesn’t have to be that way!

With the new and more democratic system of ranked-choice voting, two-thirds of City Council incumbents term-limited out, and dozens of antiracist, movement-aligned candidates on the ballot, we have a historic opportunity to advance racial justice in our city. If we are strategic, focused, and committed, we can elect a city government that is dedicated to the urgency of decarceration, defunding the NYPD, universal housing, desegregated schools, and so much more.

SURJ NYC is engaging in deep canvass-style phonebanking to facilitate rich conversations with our members about the issues they care about and the importance of the June 22 primary. With approximately six weeks until the start of early voting and a goal of making 2,000 calls we need all hands on deck. Specifically: we need at least 35 callers each week! Will you be one of them?

Whether you're a veteran of the chapter or you've never attended an event with us before, you’re welcome! If you're looking to flex your muscles when it comes to talking about race with other white folks and make meaningful connections with members of the SURJ NYC community, we want you to join us - maybe even bring a friend (or three)!

No training or experience is necessary, and we promise to support you every step of the way as we work to build the just, inclusive, and caring city that we all deserve.

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

P.S. If you missed last night's teach-in with EGG about the Manhattan DA race tonight, mark your calendars for their next teach-in on Thursday, May 20th.

Exploring MRTA

On March 31st, the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) was passed by the NY State legislature. This new law legalizes recreational marijuana use for adults over 21, expunges criminal records, and addresses social equity and community investment. The MRTA, which went into effect immediately and will continue to roll out through 2022, is a major step towards ending the war on drugs, which has disproportionately targeted and contributed to the mass incarceration of BIPOC.

Despite documentation that people tend to use drugs at the same rate regardless of race, Black and Latinx people make up a huge number of the over 1.6 million people arrested, prosecuted, incarcerated, placed under supervision and/or deported on drug law violations in America each year. At the state level, one million New Yorkers, 80% of whom are Black or Latinx, have had contact with the criminal justice system as a result of marijuana-related infractions, resulting in trauma and disruption for individuals, families, and communities. Even convictions that do not result in jail time can have disastrous effects on people's lives via loss of voting rights, child custody, employment, student aid, and access to public housing or other assistance programs.

The MRTA will address many of these issues and inequities moving forward, and past marijuana convictions will be sealed or reduced. MRTA also aims to shift business revenue to those who previously participated in the illicit marijuana market and offer micro-licenses at lower costs for small businesses to begin participating in the newly legal marijuana market. New York will invest the tax revenue generated by marijuana sales in public schools and community-based projects.

While the MRTA seems like a big win for racial justice in New York, we need to keep a close watch as it’s rolled out. We must ensure that the expungements occur as promised, that those who are released receive supportive services, and that resources are channeled properly. If you’re interested in supporting this work, check out our Anti-Mass Incarceration (AMI) Working Group that works with local and state-wide organizations on issues related to mass incarceration. Join us next Tuesday, May 4th, for a teach-in on the Manhattan DA race with the Electoral Gains Group!

In solidarity,

SURJ NYC

P.S. If you’re interested in continuing to learn about alternatives to policing, we highly recommend checking out tonight’s webinar about defunding the police with Mariame Kaba, organized by SURJ national.