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Westchester Social Justice Forum 2018!
Nada Khader
Posted in Blogs, Communities & Focus Areas, Criminal Justice, Director's Blog, Economic and Human Rights, Frontpage, Immigration, Militarism and Foreign Policy, Movement Building, Racial Justice
For all details please visit: https://www.westchestersocialforum.org/
Save the Date! WESPAC Annual Awards Dinner!
Nada Khader
Posted in Blogs, Communities & Focus Areas, Director's Blog, Frontpage, Movement Building
#FREEnewyork Westchester Town Hall
Nada Khader
Posted in Blogs, Communities & Focus Areas, Criminal Justice, Director's Blog, Frontpage, Racial Justice
Employee Earned Sick Time in Westchester
Nada Khader
Posted in Blogs, Communities & Focus Areas, Director's Blog, Economic and Human Rights, Frontpage, Movement Building
THE PEOPLE’S TOWN HALL-
EMPLOYEE EARNED SICK TIME IN WESTCHESTER NY
Does this sound familiar? You’re in line at a coffee shop waiting for your order and the sever working behind the counter is coughing and wiping a runny nose and you think to yourself “Great, now I’m going to get sick, why doesn’t this person just stay home”. Well, it’s likely, because they are one of the 36% of Westchester workers that don’t have employer paid sick leave.
When so many workers in Westchester don’t have paid sick leave they: come to work sick, send their children to school sick, and ultimately increase the chances of getting us all sick. In 2018, we can change that by supporting a new law proposed by the Westchester County Legislators that provides Employee Earned Sick Time for workers. New York City has already passed such a law and has seen many benefits to workers, employers and the community.
You’re invited to take part in a People’s Town Hall to learn, discuss and comment on the benefits and challenges in passing: Employee Earned sick Time in Westchester NY.
Who: WESPAC & the Community/Labor Coalition for Employee Earned Sick Time
What: The People’s Town Hall – Subject Matter Experts, a Panel made up of Community, Labor, Education, Healthcare & Small Business, Elected Public Servants, & the Community.
Where: Yonkers Riverfront Library
When: Jan 16th Tuesday 2017, 5:30pm – 7:15pm
RSVP- Joe Mayhew cell 914-374-6848 email [email protected]
Supporters for the Westchester County Employee Earned Sick Time Law
Congregation B’nai Yisrael, CWA Local 1103, Encephalitis Global, Inc, Ethical Culture Society of Westchester, Irvington Activists, Local 1 IUEC, Lower Hudson Valley Progressive Action Network, Mamaroneck High School Young Democrats, New York County Democratic Committee, New York State Nurses Assoc, Safe Energy Rights Group, Inc., Sustainable Port Chester Alliance, Transit Workers Union, WESPAC, Westchester for Change, Westchester National Organization for Women, Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body, Westchester-Putnam Working Families Party
Report Back from Annual NACOLE Conference
Nada Khader
Posted in Blogs, Criminal Justice, Director's Blog, Economic and Human Rights, Frontpage, Movement Building, Racial Justice
Nada will be presenting a report on Thursday, September 28th at 7pm at WESPAC regarding her participation at the Annual NACOLE Conference on behalf of WCPR.
On September 10th, hundreds of members of law enforcement, community leaders, elected officials, journalists, academics, students and oversight professionals will gather in Spokane, Washington, for the annual four day NACOLE conference (National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement): http://www.nacole.org/2017_annual_conference .
Conference attendees will be able to choose from 31 different concurrent and plenary sessions on a wide range of topics including Building Community Trust, Trauma Informed Policing, Auditing for Accountability, Evaluating Police Use of Force and much more. Attendees will be part of a learning and networking event that will provide inspiration, ideas and practical knowledge as we work for a vision of implementing best practices and enhanced police legitimacy in our local communities and around the nation.
WESPAC Membership Dues 2017
Nada Khader
Posted in Blogs, Communities & Focus Areas, Director's Blog, Frontpage, Movement Building
Dear Members and Friends of WESPAC,
First, we would like to share with you the good news that WESPAC has moved to a new large, spacious location with plenty of free parking on Tarrytown Road in White Plains/Greenburgh, less than half a mile from the White Plains train station. Our open house is scheduled for Wednesday, September 6th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm: 77 Tarrytown Road, Suite 2W in White Plains, NY 10607.
This last year has been extremely challenging for our movements and WESPAC continues to play a crucial role locally and beyond, which is why we ask for your continued financial support. Dues are $100 per person annually, or $50 for students and persons with a fixed income.
Over the past year, we have worked together with the newly formed Westchester Social Justice Community network to stand up for our progressive values, as we experience increased levels of repression from the federal government, as we witness growing threats to the wellbeing of the planet and our communities, as profit is placed over people and land, and corporations, not people, control our democracy. We have worked with community partners to hold “Justice Monday” rallies in downtown White Plains to advocate for public policies that support immigrant rights, public education, worker rights, affordable housing, safe & renewable energy, LGBTQ rights and healthcare for all.
WESPAC was a key part of the organizing team for the recent Westchester Social Forum that took place in May at New Rochelle High School, where hundreds gathered to exchange ideas and information, foster solidarity, and celebrate our work to create a more just and equal society. The current political climate has energized both seasoned and new activists who are working to build alliances to address social justice issues.
We continue to work in coalition to oppose racialized policing, support Black Liberation movements locally and support a transformation of our criminal justice system. WESPAC is also playing a key role in standing up for the civil and constitutional rights of all those who speak out for Palestinian freedom. We have marched and met with elected officials at the local, state and federal level as we witness increasing repression against the non-violent BDS movement for Palestinian human rights.
The only way we can continue our work is with your help. Dues are $100 per person annually, or $50 for students and persons with a fixed income. We are grateful for all levels of support and no one is turned away for lack of funds. Volunteer hours are welcome in lieu of payment and can be arranged with the office. Please make your tax-deductible contribution today via the donate button at wespac.org or by check in the enclosed envelope. We are asking for all dues to be received by September 30th.
We are proud of the role we play as a hub for grassroots organizing with a mission to strengthen movement building in the promotion of human rights and self-determination for all communities. We need your support now more than ever to make this cherished community institution stronger!
For the WESPAC Community,
Teresa Delgado, WESPAC Board Chair and Nada Khader, WESPAC Director
PS. Every tax-deductible donation you make goes directly to our critical work for social justice and peace. Please like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter!
www.wespac.org Facebook: Explore WESPAC Twitter: @WESPAC_NY
Westchester Social Forum!
Nada Khader
Posted in Blogs, Communities & Focus Areas, Criminal Justice, Director's Blog, Economic and Human Rights, Environmental and Food Justice, Frontpage, Movement Building, Racial Justice
Building the Movement for Social & Ecological Justice
Join community organizations in Westchester for a social forum on May 20 to exchange ideas and information, foster solidarity, and celebrate our work to create a more just and equal society. We live in a time of struggle as we witness growing threats to the well-being of our planet and communities, as profit is placed over people and land, and corporations, not citizens, control our democracy.
Yet, we, the people, have the collective power to organize a movement for change. The Westchester Social Forum will provide the space to learn from one another, strengthen our organizing skills, and connect as a community.
The day will include a people’s march, workshops on organizing for social and ecological justice, and a culminating cultural celebration! We hope you can join us!
Construyendo el Movimiento por la Justicia Social y Ecológica
Únase a organizaciones comunitarias en Westchester durante un foro social en mayo para intercambiar ideas e información, fomentar solidaridad y celebrar nuestra labor para crear una sociedad más justa e igualitaria. Estamos viviendo tiempos de lucha, mientras presenciamos crecientes amenazas al bienestar de nuestro planeta y nuestras comunidades, que anteponen la ganancia de dinero por sobre el pueblo y la tierra, y donde las corporaciones, no los ciudadanos, son los que controlan nuestra democracia.
Sin embargo, nosotros, el pueblo, tenemos el poder colectivo de organizar un movimiento por el cambio. El Foro Social de Westchester proveerá el espacio para aprender de unos y otros, fortalecer nuestras habilidades organizativas y conectarnos como una comunidad.
El día incluirá una marcha popular, talleres sobre organización social y justicia ecológica y culminará con una celebración cultural. ¡Esperamos que puedan unirse a nosotros!
The Benefits and Limits of Civilian Review Boards
Nada Khader
Posted in Blogs, Communities & Focus Areas, Criminal Justice, Director's Blog, Frontpage, Movement Building, Racial Justice
The Benefits and Limits of Civilian Review Boards
Monday, April 3rd at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University in White Plains, NY
6pm to 6:30pm light refreshments and networking
6:30pm panel begins promptly
An interactive panel discussion with law enforcement, members of the Albany and Syracuse Civilian Review Boards, and the President of the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement including:
- Frank L. Fowler, Syracuse Chief of Police
- Brian Corr, NACOLE President and Director of Cambridge, Mass. Police Review and Advisory Board
- Ivy Morris, Vice Chair of Albany CPRB (Citizens’ Police Review Board)
- Zach Garafalo, Albany CPRB
- Mallory Livingston, Chair, Syracuse CRB
- Yusuf Abdul Qadir, Director of the Syracuse Chapter of the NYCLU
Panel will be moderated by Law Professor David Dorfman at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University.
This forum is organized and sponsored by the Westchester Coalition for Police Reform https://www.facebook.com/WCPRN
The Social Justice Forum is this Sunday April 22nd at the Pace Law School!! Here is video footage from the 2017 social forum: we hope you are excited and inspired by last year to make it even better this year! Spread the word and check out the Facebook event: www.facebook.com/events/826655807515066/ It’s going to be sunny and 60 degrees, so get ready for a wonderful day! #socialjustice #communitybuilding #solidarity
MEMO OF SUPPORT FOR S.4784A/A.3080B
April 17th, 2018
Dear Senator Flanagan, Senator Stewart-Cousins, Senator Klein, and all New York Senators, as well as Speaker Heastie and all New York Assembly Members:
WESPAC is writing to urge the New York Senate and the New York Assembly to pass the HALT Solitary Confinement Act, S.4784A/A.3080B, immediately. WESPAC recently invited Cynthia Williams to speak to our membership about solitary confinement. As an educational non-profit, we support the United Nations definition of solitary confinement as a form of torture.
The Humane Alternatives to Long Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act, S.4784A/A.3080B, is a critical bill to remedy the harm of solitary confinement. It would end the torture of solitary confinement for all people in New York prisons and jails, and create more humane and effective alternatives.
Solitary confinement is torture. Thousands of people, disproportionately Black and Latinx people, remain in solitary in New York each day: 22 to 24 hours a day in a cell without any meaningful human contact or programs. People continue to spend months, years, and decades in solitary (including upwards of 30+ years) in New York. These conditions cause devastating physical, mental, and behavioral impacts. The entire United Nations, including the US, passed rules prohibiting solitary beyond 15 days for any person, because it otherwise would amount to torture.
While Governor Cuomo has touted reforms to solitary, New York still has a higher percentage of people in solitary (5.8%) than the national average (4.4%) and much higher than states that have significantly limited solitary (less than 1% to 2%). HALT is the only legislation in NY that would address this problem, place total time limits on solitary, and end the torture of solitary for all people.
Sincerely,
Nada Khader. WESPAC Foundation Director
Executive Director
WESPAC Foundation
Cynthia Williams at WESPAC speaking about the urgent need to end solitary confinement in New York State:
Important:
Our Food System: An Invisible Form of Oppression - Dr. Mark Hyman
drhyman.com
On April 4, 2018, the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s death, I was honored to be asked to speak at Riverside Church in Harlem, the church where 51 years ago to the day MLK Jr. spoke out...It is with great pleasure and thanks to the efforts of Tracy Basile that I announce that we will have two Native American Elders open the social forum on April 22nd and lead the opening march:
Lakota elder, Lessert Moore, has been a "Sundance Chief for 45 years with extensive teaching experience at University of Arizona & New Mexico, UCLA and Aspen Institute. He is an indigenous rights activist and frontline activist of Wounded Knee and Standing Rock. He is very traditional in Lakota ways and welcomes everyone to his circle."
Owl (Steven Smith) of the Ramapough Nation is outspoken on issues currently confronting the Ramapough Nation. He has spoken widely on the importance of maintaining the Split Rock Sweetwater Prayer Camp (called Standing Rock East) in Mahwah, New Jersey.
These two gentlemen from different Nations (Ramapough and Lakota) are representative of the coalition between Standing Rock and Split Rock, both working towards stopping the 'black snake' that propels oil production and pollution and drives climate change. They will also be presenting at the 4:15pm panel on Climate Justice at the social forum.
There are only five tabling space remaining for any group that would like to table at the social forum. Those who plan to attend are strongly requested to register ahead of April 22nd to avoid long lines at the registration table and can do so here: www.westchestersocialforum.org/register It is essential for all to register, especially if you have child care needs so that we can plan accordingly.
Please plan to arrive on campus by 12:15pm latest at 78 North Broadway in White Plains, NY 10603. We will have volunteers guiding you where to park. Lessert Moore will open up the forum at 12:45pm on the front lawn in front of the Good Counsel Chapel before we begin the opening march at 1pm. The planning committee has secured a permit with the local police department for this march that is under one mile and will make a loop in downtown White Plains. We will return to campus by 1:45pm in time for the opening plenary session in the Moot Court Room at Pace Law School which will start promptly at 2pm. At 2:40pm, we will segue to the workshops being offered in Ottinger Hall and listed here (please note the added description for the Climate Change panel): www.westchestersocialforum.org/workshops
We will close out the social forum with a sustainable fashion show and collective folkloric dance with Lisa Genn at 5:30pm in Tudor Hall.
Please help us share information about this largest social justice convergence in Westchester County by forwarding this email to your lists and by sharing our facebook event: www.facebook.com/events/826655807515066/
On behalf of the planning committee, we are all very much looking forward to welcoming you there.
