In this issue…
#LessIsMoreNY Rally at Gov. Cuomo’s NYC Office
#LessIsMoreNY Campaign Update Call
#LessIsMoreNY Phone Zap
#LessIsMoreNY Rally at Gov. Cuomo’s Office
The Less Is More Act passed the New York Senate and Assembly in June and now we are calling on Governor Cuomo to sign the bill. Once signed into law, the bill will transform New York’s parole process to focus and target resources that help people get back to life after prison by limiting the incarceration of people for technical parole violations and incentivizing rehabilitation through successful completion of parole.
Earlier today, we held a #LessIsMoreNY Rally outside New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Manhattan office to demand he sign #LessIsMoreNY. For the action, Katal members joined A Little Piece of Light, Exodus Transitional Community, Center for Employment Opportunities, Reign 4 Life, Gangstas Giving Back, New York Civil Liberties Union, NYC Brown Berets, and more for an impactful hour where speakers shared how they were affected by the parole process in New York.
Katal member Paul described the issue at hand:
“It is time to restrict, and ultimately to remove, the harm inflicted by the weaponization of technical violations. People on parole should not be filled with the fear of being incarcerated for something like being late for curfew. In addition, there must be a strengthening of compliance to due process and not the automatic imprisonment of those constructively involved in their communities. This is why it is imperative that Governor Cuomo sign #LessIsMoreNY Now!”
If you were unable to join us, check out a video of the rally on our instagram and see highlights of the action here.
You can also take a quick, one-minute online action from home by sending an email and fax message to Governor Cuomo!
#LessIsMoreNY Campaign Update Call
Yesterday afternoon, we held our #LessIsMoreNY Campaign Update Call, that included a reflection on why we’re working to reform parole with the Less Is More Act and updates on next steps to get Governor Cuomo to sign the bill. We started the call discussing why #LessIsMoreNY is not only a smart and cost-effective way to improve the re-entry process for people on parole, but also a right and moral imperative that takes a significant step towards ending racial disparities in the parole process.
We shared a clip of Katal member Mrs. Della talking about #LessIsMoreNY on The Village Radio show. Mrs. Della spoke about how incarcerating individuals for technical violations of parole separates families and disrupts communities.
Next, we went over the Less Is More Act in detail and discussed why it is one of the most significant parole reform bills passed in the country to date. Below are two new fact sheets that explain the bill which passed the legislature and goes over each provision:
#LessIsMoreNY Phone Zap
Join us next Wednesday, July 21st from 11:30 – 12:30 p.m. for our next #LessIsMoreNY Phone Zap to urge Governor Cuomo to sign #LessIsMoreNY. We’re holding the Phone Zap over Zoom so we can be in community together and take collective action as a group! Register to join us!
We’re so close — let’s get #LessIsMoreNY across the finish line so we can decarcerate in New York.
If you have any questions about the #LessIsMoreNY Phone Zap, please contact Yonah at yonah@katalcenter.org.
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!
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.
