In this issue…
Punishment, but not yet accountability or justice
A Gathering of the #LessIsMoreNY Statewide Campaign
Instagram Live on #LessIsMoreNY
Punishment, but not yet accountability or justice
Last year the country erupted in protest after the police killing of George Floyd — a murder that was captured live on camera. This week, the cop who killed George Floyd was convicted of murder. We pray that the Floyd family finds some relief.
And we know, this is punishment of the cop. It is not accountability, and it is not justice – George Floyd is gone, and police killings of Black people continue. The prosecution of a killer cop is an anomaly, and the prosecution and imprisonment of the officer who killed George Floyd will not in and of itself lead to transformation of the system that has made such killings a routine practice of police in the United States today. We must continue working toward systemic transformation and racial justice through our organizing.
As Katal’s Co-Executive Director Lorenzo Jones wrote last year, in the midst of the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd,
It is time to DO. We will continue our organizing in Connecticut, New York and beyond to end mass incarceration and the drug war. We will hold elected officials accountable, especially those, like Cuomo and Lamont, who are expressing dismay at the murder of George Floyd but have yet to use their power to change the material conditions of systemic racism that lead to such deaths. Decarcerate now. Defund the police now. Pass laws to hold the police accountable, now. Invest in housing, education, healthcare, jobs, now. Support Black lives and a future where we can all live, now.
A Gathering of the #LessIsMoreNY Statewide Campaign
Only 7 weeks remain in NY’s legislative session, and we’re continuing to drive action to make sure #LessIsMoreNY is passed this year. On Wednesday, we hosted our monthly #LessIsMoreNY Campaign Update Call – bringing together dozens of folks across New York to talk next steps for passing #LessIsMoreNY. We started the meeting with a musical testimony from Emily and Robbie of Spoke and Feather. Their beautiful song is set to the tune of ‘One Day More’ from Les Misérables and includes special lyrics about how #LessIsMoreNY will change the lives of people on parole by limiting the incarceration of people on parole for technical parole violations. Check out the whole song here!
We spent the rest of the call breaking down action steps – Paul Rivera and Imani Webb-Smith from the Center for Employment Opportunities shared information on how to contact legislators, and Tyler Nims from More Just NYC shared a new video explainer showing why New York needs #LessIsMoreNY!
Stay informed, get involved, and take action by joining our next #LessIsMoreNY Campaign Update Call, Wednesday, May 19th from 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Register here!
Got questions about how to get involved in #LessIsMoreNY? Want to host a #LessIsMoreNY parole reform info-session? Please contact Community Organizer Melanie Dominguez at melanie@katalcenter.org.
Instagram Live on #LessIsMoreNY
Join us this Monday, April 26 at 6:00 pm for our first #LessIsMoreNY Instagram Live – where we’ll be with our #LessIsMoreNY Campaign Partner, Unchained, to raise havoc on IG for parole reform. Watch live at @UnchainedNOW and follow us at @KatalCenter.
Sign up for the Katal Connecticut Update
We announced in March that, after nearly 5 years, we’re ending the Katal Weekly Update, and moving to two separate email updates — one for New York, another for Connecticut. If you’d also like to keep up what we’re doing in Connecticut, please click here to sign up for the Katal Connecticut Update!
Keep practicing social distancing, wear your mask, wash your hands, and check in on your neighbors. If you want to get involved, learn more about our work, or just connect, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Katal works to strengthen the people, policies, institutions, and movements that advance health, equity, and justice for everyone. Join us: web, Twitter, Facebook! Email: info@katalcenter.org. Phone: 646.875.8822.
