In this issue…
Rallying Behind #LessIsMoreNY
#LessIsMoreNY Campaign Update Call
Sign up for the Katal Connecticut Update
Rallying Behind #LessIsMoreNY
With New York’s legislative session winding down and only weeks left for lawmakers to pass #LessIsMoreNY, we spent the month dedicated to action and initiative to make sure that we bring transformative parole reform to New York with Less Is More!
Earlier this month, we held a press conference and rally outside New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Manhattan office to demand he pass #LessIsMoreNY, do more to #FreeThemNowNY, and in the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, do better for people incarcerated in New York prisons! For the action, Katal members joined A Little Piece of Light, Exodus Transitional Community, and Center for Employment Opportunities for an impactful hour where speakers shared how they were affected by the parole process in New York.
Katal member Avion described the issue at hand:
“These technical violations make it impossible for people on parole to have a good job of any caliber because at any given moment they could be re-incarcerated for something as simple as being late for curfew or police contact or missing child support payments. We need Less Is More to stop the arbitrary and capricious actions from parole officers.”
If you were unable to join us, check out a video of the rally on our facebook page and read the press release on our website.
And join us for our next #LessIsMoreNY Press Conference, with the Black Freedom Project, on Wednesday, May 26 at 10:00 a.m. — RSVP to join us!
#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 Less Is More and updates on next steps to pass the bill in 2021. Katal member Robin highlighted why she’s fighting for #LessIsMoreNY:
“As a person living in Westchester, I see people who are caught up in the criminal justice system and people who are on parole, and it just harms our communities. Westchester spent over $4,000,000 incarcerating people for alleged technical parole violations.
That is not justice. That is keeping people trapped in the system.This is not just a criminal justice issue, it’s a racial justice issue because across New York State, Black people are incarcerated for technical parole violations at 5x the rates of their white counterparts, and Latinx people are 30% more likely to be incarcerated for a technical parole violation than white people.”
Robin’s words capture 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 act that takes a significant step towards ending racial disparities in the parole process.
Join us for our final push next week at our upcoming events:
- #LessIsMoreNY Day of Action on Wednesday, May 26 from 11:30am – 1:00pm. Register here!
- #LessIsMoreNY Press Conference, with the Black Freedom Project, on Wednesday, May 26 at 10:00 a.m. — RSVP to join us!
- #LessIsMoreNY Community Conversation on Wednesday, May 26 at 6:00 p.m. Click here to register.
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.
