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This is really important.

That’s why you’ll find volunteers from Greater NYC for Change and The New Latino Movement throughout the five boroughs this GOTV weekend, reminding you to vote on April 19. No matter whom you support, voting this election season is vital.

Mark your calendar now to vote in the Presidential Primary and Special Elections next Tuesday. If you’re not sure you’re registered or where to vote, go to the New York City Poll Site Locator​ or call 1.866.VOTE.NYC (1.866.868.3692) and find out today!

And don’t forget to sign up to call and door-knock to remind voters in NY-9 to vote for New York State Senate candidate Todd Kaminsky in the April 19 Special Election. Who better to replace the disgraced former Senate Majority Leader, Dean Skelos, than a former federal prosecutor known for fighting corruption, upholding the rule of law, and supporting his constituents effectively as a distinguished local Assembly Member? Join us for good government—and to help turn our state senate blue!

Kaminsky Canvasses on GOTV Weekend: 
Saturday, April 16: With Greater NYC for Change. First 20 round-trip train tickets are free! Click to RSVP. The candidate will be present!

With Citizen Action of NY/TenantsPAC. RSVP to Darius Gordon, dgordon@citizenactionny.org or Michael McKee, mmckee@tenantspac.org.

Sunday, April 17: With the WFP. RSVP to Kenny Schaeffer at 917.442.6820 or kenny.schaeffer@gmail.
With CWA District 1. Click to RSVP.

Tuesday, April 19: Election Day volunteers needed ALL DAY. RSVP to any of the names listed above or to the campaign at lukestrong2004@gmail.com.

Phone Banks:
Wednesday, April 13: TONIGHT! 5:00 to 8:30 pm, WFP Headquarters, 1 Metrotech Center North, 11th floor, Brooklyn. Contact: kenny.schaeffer@gmail.com

Thursday, April 14: 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Pro-Choice NY, 470 Park Avenue South, 7th Floor. Click to RSVP.

Monday, April 18: 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Pro-Choice NY, 470 Park Avenue South, 7th Floor. Click to RSVP.

Tuesday, April 19: 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Pro-Choice NY, 470 Park Avenue South, 7th Floor. Click to RSVP.

Fundraiser:
Friday April 15: 6:30 to 9:00 pm. Local 802 (American Federation of Musicians) at 322 West 48th St. Live jazz music and tickets starting at $25. The candidate will be present! RSVP here.

Help Turn the NYS Senate Blue.

Greater NYC for Change advocates on behalf of progressive causes and stands behind politicians and elected representatives who share our values. This year, the best chance to pass legislation that benefits the people of New York State is by flipping our state senate from “R” to “D.”

That’s why we’re urging you to canvass and make calls for Todd Kaminsky before the Special Election on April 19th.

April 19th is not only the date of the New York State Presidential Primary, but also of the Special Election to fill the seat formerly occupied by disgraced Republican Senator Dean Skelos in District 9, located in southern Nassau County on Long Island. Once the Majority Leader of the Republican-led Senate, Skelos was recently convicted of “conspiracy, extortion, and solicitation of bribes.” What better way to replace an unsavory pol than with a former federal prosecutor known for fighting corruption and upholding the rule of law?

Todd Kaminsky has a strong track record as a prosecutor and a current Assembly member representing Long Beach. He has prosecuted Democrats and Republicans alike, from Sen. Pedro Espada to Rep. Michael Grimm. Todd supports clean government and investment in public education, and he has stood with local residents recovering from Hurricane Sandy. He’s a great candidate—that’s why we’re supporting him with calls and canvasses to get the word out throughout his district. 

After this crucial election, we’ll be supporting candidates in key November Senate races so as to give Democrats a reliable majority. Currently the Assembly is overwhelmingly Democratic, while Republicans hold a thin Senate majority, thanks to the dissident IDC. Flip only a few seats—NY-9 among them—and a progressive Senate is within sight, opening a clear path to achieving the promise of our state. 

CANVASSES FOR KAMINSKY
All canvasses meet at and return to Penn Station. We’ll take the train to Long Beach, where we’ll coordinate with the campaign to door knock. A limited number of free train tickets are available, first come, first served!   

Saturday, April 9th, 9:30 AM: RSVP here

Saturday, April 16th, 10:30 AM: RSVP here

PHONE BANKS FOR KAMINSKY

Sponsored by CItizen Action and the Working Families Party. All are held at the WFP office at 1 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, NY 11201. For more information or to RSVP, email Dgordon@citizenactionny.org or Eabbott@workingfamilies.org.

Wednesday, March 30th, 5 to 8 PM

Wednesday, April 6th, 5 to 8 PM

TENANTS PAC FUNDRAISER FOR KAMINSKY

Many South Shore residents live in rent-stabilized housing, and Tenants PAC is helping secure a pro-tenant Senate with a low-$$ fundraiser. Come meet the candidate and listen to jazz courtesy of Local 802! At Local 802 (American Federation of Musicians), 322 West 48th Street. Donations can be made online at www.tenantspac.org.

Friday, April 15th, 6:30 to 9 PM

It’s about the future of our children.

Public Education

Public education is the government’s promise of a hopeful future for children everywhere. It’s the stepping stone, the shining light, the leg up out of poverty and into prosperity.

But in New York State today, with the most economically and racially segregated classrooms in the nation and a 50% child poverty rate, our governor says there is “no appetite” for the fiscal measures that would fulfill that promise and fairly fund our schools.

Shocking, isn’t it?

According to a lawsuit filed by parents with the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, New York State has systematically discriminated against districts with black, Latino, and poor students by inadequately funding their education. And, according to a landmark settlement in 2006, the state owes New York City schools alone over $2 billion out of a total $5.9 billion. (Find out how much your district is owed.) But the state still refuses to pay up, and the Republican-led senate majority continues to prefer to aid private schools rather than pay what it owes to public, non-charter schools.

Today, a 1% tax on the 1%—those earning $665,000 or more annually—would raise over $2 billion in funding for education.

It’s time to #StandUp4Kids. Our children’s futures shouldn’t be determined by skin color, pocket book, or zip code—or the “appetite” of legislators whose election campaigns are funded by hedge fund CEOs or billionaires.

Here’s what you can do, right now:

We urge you to stand with the Alliance for Quality Education, Citizen Action of New York, savvy egalitarian groups like the Hedge Clippers, and others in demanding that all our kids get the fair shake they deserve.

Join the Fight for $15.

As we wrap up the Albany budget session, the fate of 3,000,000 New York State workers is at stake. We’re on track to make New York the first state to pass a $15 minimum wage for all workers, IF enough people make their voices heard on March 15.

Today, 54% of those earning less than $15 an hour are women; 48% of all black workers and 49% of Hispanic workers statewide make less than $15. Income inequality continues to rise. The ranks of millionaires and billionaires have swelled to record levels and wages have flattened, leaving hard-working New York families far behind.

It’s hard to underestimate what could happen if we #RaiseTheWage.

It would fast-track the path out of poverty, provide worker dignity, help millions of workers pay for the basics, all while boosting the state economy. More and better-paying jobs would be among the results.

Governor Cuomo has named this statewide effort after his father—the Mario Cuomo Campaign for Economic Justice. We urge you to join in for ALL the men and women, fathers and mothers, who are struggling to provide dignified lives for their families. That’s for #allofus. 

To rally in Albany on March 15, reserve your seat on buses from New York City, Long Island, or the Hudson Valley. If you can’t make it, follow the Fight for $15 on Twitter or Facebook; we’ll be posting pictures and tweets that you can share, too. And don’t forget to tell your senator to pass paid family leave!March15Albany

Where Do We Go From Here?

MLKJr and other activists

Transformative Justice: Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase. — Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Since those words were spoken, the United States has made significant progress toward becoming the nation it once set out to be — a land of equality. These advances came about because people with faith in a better future took action.

Think back ten years. What if someone had told you that with relentless volunteer action we would:

All these achievements in progressive politics began with the belief that inequality should and would be conquered. Then people like you stepped forward to make it true.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was lauded for his nonviolent approach to advocacy against inequality. However, we must never forget that he led a life of action and transformation. Nonviolent does not mean non-confrontational, nor does it mean non-political.

On the last day of his life, Dr. King was supporting a controversial movement for fair wages and safe working conditions for black sanitation workers. Let us move forward in the memory of him and others who fought before us for human rights and dignity. Let us carry on the work with the same spirit of truth.
Here are some ways to do that today.

TAKE ACTION:

Monday, Jan. 18th: #InvestMonday  with the Ferguson Action Team 

Full civil and human rights for Black Americans is not a struggle of the past. Black people in the USA live with the pain of racial and economic inequality every day.

Visit ReclaimMLK.com and text MLK to 90975 to learn more about realizing the dream today as we revive the true legacy of the civil rights movement in cities across the nation.

Monday, Jan. 18th 2pm: 14th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Interfaith Peace Walk

Organized by the Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing. The sites are:

  1. Holy Name of Jesus Church (96/Amsterdam) – where we will gather at 2 PM
  2. St Gregory the Great Church (90/Amsterdam)
  3. West Park Presbyterian Church (86/Amsterdam)
  4. St Paul & St Andrews / B’nai Jeshurun (86/West End Avenue)
  5. Rutgers Church (73/Broadway)
  6. Church of the Blessed Sacrament (71/Broadway) – for a reception (at approx. 4 PM)

GET INFORMED:

Learn more about some of the campaigns to address issues of racial and economic justice:

VOCAL-NY grassroots volunteers organize around issues that disproportionately affect people of color, including HIV/AIDS, the drug war, and mass incarceration. Their site provide updates and information on how to get involved.
Police Brutality disproportionately affects black people. Support efforts to pressure our national leaders to end this crisis so that all of us can live freely and safely.

WATCH:

Monday, Jan. 18th, 3 to 8 pm ‪#MLKNow‬

This live event at Riverside Church in Harlem is sold out but can be seen via Livestream: http://livestream.com/trcnyc/MLKNOW2016   Blackout for Human Rights and the Campaign for Black Male Achievement (CBMA) will host a celebration of the legacy of Dr. King, exploring how his message and vision continue to resonate in today’s racial, social, and political landscape. The event features historic speeches and musical performances by some of today’s leading actors and artists.
Panelists include Filmmaker and Blackout Member Ryan Coogler, Grammy-Nominated Hip Hop Artist J. Cole, Urban Cusp Founder and Publisher Rahiel Tesfamariam, Arab American Association of New York Executive Director Linda Sarsour, Million Hoodies Movement for Justice Executive Director Dante Barry, Filmmaker/Activist and Sakofa.org Co-Director Gina Belafonte; and Activist Leon Ford, Jr. Moderated by MSNBC National Reporter Trymaine Lee.

 

Nothing says “holiday” like home.

As 2015 winds down, we’re grateful to the dedicated volunteers and advocacy organizations who achieved victories in many areas, the Fight for $15, climate change, prison and sentencing reform among them. Yet in one area–housing our city’s growing homeless population–victory has been elusive. You can do something about that today.

Recently, the number of homeless men, women, and children living in NYC rose to over 59,000. That number includes the chronically homeless, people with severe mental illness or drug addiction and, according to Housing Works, some 6,000 people with HIV. Almost all want jobs and active lives that are impossible without safe, stable, affordable housing.

Since 1990, agreements between New York City and State have created 15,000 units of supportive housing statewide to alleviate this aspect of homelessness. But we still need more to aid our most vulnerable New Yorkers. Recently Mayor de Blasio unveiled a substantive proposal to build 15,000 more units in 15 years. Now we need Governor Cuomo to commit to a comprehensive, integrated approach.

WHAT IS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING?

An effective, cost-efficient model for affordable housing combined with site services that include job training and mental and physical health care delivery.

WHO BENEFITS?

  • Residents: Through dramatic improvements in emotional and employment stability
  • Government: By aligning and targeting public funds with nonprofit and community partners
  • Community: From significant tax savings through reduced expenditures for use of shelters, hospitals, emergency rooms, prisons, and jails

“AN ABDICATION OF RESPONSIBILITY”

These facts provided the rationale for the NY/NY agreements, an important series of city-state commitments. Since 1990, the agreements have created 15,000 units of supportive housing statewide.The need for a new and expanded program to replace the expiring NY/NY III agreement is growing. But the public feud between our state and city executives has blocked the kind of integrated approach embraced by their predecessors. While Mayor De Blasio has done his part, Governor Cuomo’s leadership is lacking. Earlier this year, the governor proposed building a mere 5,000 units–4,000 in NYC and an additional 1,000 statewide–an amount so tiny that the New York Times Editorial Board called it “an abdication of responsibility.”

A statewide supportive housing program consisting of 35,000 units–30,000 in our city, 5,000 in localities across the state–over the next ten years would go a long way toward reducing the number of homeless residents in city and state. GNYCfC is advocating with the Campaign 4 NY/NY Housing to get out this message.

Will you join us in this fight to reduce homelessness? Sign this petition today to help us tell Governor Cuomo and make your voice heard.

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