Blog

  • Testimony for City Council Hearing on Voting at Rikers Island

    Testimony by Amira Wittenberg, MSW Intern Thank you, Chair Selvena N. Brooks-Powers and Chair Gale A. Brewer, for today’s joint hearing between the New York City Council’s Criminal Justice Committ…

  • Katal New York Update — April 10, 2026

    In this issue: – Katal in Albany for SCOC Monthly Meeting & New York for All – SCOC Complaint Portal and Upcoming Info Session – Deaths at Rikers and Bellevue Beds Opening – April Statewide Criminal…

  • Katal New York Update — March 26, 2026

    In this issue: – Organizing to Overhaul SCOC – No ICE on Rikers – Weekly Pro-Democracy Phone Zaps – Statewide CJ Reform Call

  • Testimony for FY 2027 Preliminary Budget Hearing – Criminal Justice

    Testimony Submitted by our organizing director, Melanie Dominguez Click here to download a PDF of the testimony. See the full testimony below: Thank you, Chair Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, for holding [&…

  • Katal New York Update — March 13, 2026

    In this issue: – No Kings Action on Saturday, March 28 & Art Build on Friday, March 20th – Governor Hochul Must Strengthen and Fully Fund Independent Oversight Agencies -Recap March Statewide Crimina…

  • Katal New York Update — February 26, 2026

    In this issue: – NY4ALL Rally & Lobby Day – SCOC February Monthly Meeting – Save the Date: No Kings 3 on March 28th – March Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call

  • Marking Katal’s 10-year Anniversary

    Dear Reader, “What time is it on the clock of the world?” For decades this is what Detroit-based organizer Grace Lee Boggs urged people to ask themselves and each other. […]

  • Katal New York Update — February 13, 2026

    In this issue: – Yesterday’s SCOC Celebration! – New DOC Commissioner at Rikers – Hands Off NYC Community Weekends of Action February 20-22th – February Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call

  • Katal New York Update — January 29, 2026

    In this issue: – ICE Out, Solidarity with Minnesota -Remediation Manager Must Advance the Closure of Rikers -NY Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call

  • Katal New York Update — January 16, 2026

    In this issue: – Webinar on Rikers Island and Mental Health – NY Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call – ICYMI: End of the Year 2025 Wrap-up Letter – End of the Year Wrap-up Letter – Katal in the Ne…

  • Our Annual Letter: Katal’s Impact in 2025

    By gabriel sayegh What a year this has been, on so many levels. In the midst of chaos, Katal has kept up our organizing and secured major victories. I’m proud […]

  • OP-ED: Mothers Call on Gov. Hochul to Sign the Jail and Prison Oversight Bill

    By Waheedah Abdul-Mateen and Ziyadah Amatul-Matin We write this together as two mothers, and as a mother and daughter, whose lives have been irreversibly shaped by New York State’s prison [&hell…