Katal New York Update — July 5, 2024

Share This Post

Tuesday, July 9: Shut Rikers Rally at Foley Square 

This Tuesday, July 9, at 1 pm, we’re holding a Shut Rikers rally at Foley Square (at Lafayette Street, Worth Street, and Centre Street) in Lower Manhattan. At 2 pm, the U.S. District Court in Manhattan will hold a hearing about Rikers. The judge could order the control of the Rikers Island jail complex to be taken from the Adams administration and assigned to an independent receiver who would be tasked with reducing violence and addressing its long-standing problems and mismanagement. More than 75 community groups and current and former officials support the call for a federal receiver to take over at Rikers – and the list is growing. 

RSVP here to join us this Tuesday, July 9, at 1 pm for the Shut Rikers rally. 

Under Mayor Eric Adams, conditions at Rikers have gotten worse and at least 31 people have died in city jails. Violence and dysfunction at Rikers continue to be out of control. Last Thursday, the federal monitor appointed to Rikers issued a new report stressing that “the jails remain dangerous and unsafe, characterized by a pervasive, imminent risk of harm to both people in custody and staff.”As the Department of Correction fails to keep people incarcerated safe, immediate action is needed to save lives! We’re taking action this Tuesday – can you join us?

For more information about Tuesday’s rally, check out this press advisory

If you have any questions, please contact our organizing director Melanie at 516-588-0127 or email melanie@katalcenter.org.


New Shut Rikers Zine in Collaboration with Josh MacPhee!

We’re excited to share our new zine in collaboration with designer, artist, and archivist Josh MacPhee: “Shut Rikers: A Brief History of Political Graphics in 15 Stickers.” This history lesson, organizing tool, and sticker publication traces the arc of reproducible political graphics over the past 100 years through a collection of 15 examples. Each one – from the Russian Revolution’s “Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge” to an image of squatters produced in the 1990s featuring Bart Simpson – has been reimagined and designed as stickers to support and mobilize the movement to shut the Rikers Island jail complex.

Katal staff wrote an introduction about Rikers Island for the zine and explained why it is one of the country’s most notorious jails. Josh drew on his extensive knowledge of political graphic history and his 30 years of designing within social movements to deftly connect the two via the campaign to Shut Rikers. Each zine comes with a set of 16 stickers, ready to use!

You can purchase a copy of the zine here. All proceeds will go toward organizing to shut Rikers. 

If you would like to sell the Shut Rikers Zine at your store, on your website, or at an event, please contact Yonah at yonah@katalcenter.org


Jeffrion Aubry: A Champion for Justice in New York 

On Tuesday, the Queens Daily Eagle published an essay by our co-president and director gabriel sayegh, honoring Jeffrion Aubry. After more than 30 years in the New York State Assembly, Aubry is retiring – and he leaves an extraordinary legacy in fighting for justice. Read gabriel’s essay here and the full essay on the Katal website. 

Here’s an excerpt:

“Assembly Member Aubry’s retirement marks the end of an era in our state. He emerged from and remained rooted in the community and stayed in the fight for justice for the long haul, even against daunting odds and even when his party wasn’t with him. New York is better – and the national movement to end mass incarceration is stronger – because of his work. He deserves all the accolades he received from his colleagues on the last day of session. He has also earned the deep gratitude and lasting respect of an entire movement, one he played an important role in.

But Jeffrion Aubry isn’t much for fanfare, especially for himself, and he’d take a victory for justice – even a small one – over a plaque or flowers any day. The best way to express our gratitude for his decades of leadership is to redouble our efforts to make New York a fairer, more just, more equitable, safer, and kinder place for all who live here.”


Katal Quotes of the Week

These are some of the quotes we’re thinking about this week.

“Let the wind blow through your heart

For wild is the wind.”

 — Nina Simone

“We are not trapped or locked up in these bones. No, no. We are free to change. And love changes us. And if we can love one another, we can break open the sky.” — Walter Mosley


For printing and distribution,
download the Katal Weekly Update PDF version.

Katal works to strengthen the people, policies, institutions, and movements that advance equity, health, and justice. Join us: web, Twitter, Facebook! Email: info@katalcenter.org Phone: 646.875.8822.

More To Explore