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Posted on by Nada Khader Posted in Blogs, Communities & Focus Areas, Director's Blog, Frontpage, Movement Building, Racial Justice

Racial Impact of Marijuana Policing in Westchester County

Community Forum on the Racial Impact of Marijuana Policing
in Westchester County
Thursday, July 26th at 7pm
White Plains Library Auditorium
100 Martine Avenue in White Plains, NY 10601

In a state where racially biased policing is the norm, Westchester County stands out as one of the worst offenders.

Between 2013 and 2017, Black and Latino people were vastly overrepresented among those arrested for marijuana possession relative to their presence in Westchester’s population–despite data showing similar rates of use across populations. While only 14 percent of the County’s residents are Black, Black people comprised over half (52 percent) of those arrested for marijuana possession. Latinx people have also been disproportionately impacted, comprising just 17% of residents, but 34% of arrestees.

This massive increase of Westchester residents involved with the criminal justice system has had significant reverberations. A marijuana arrest creates a permanent criminal record that can easily be found by employers, landlords, schools, credit agencies and banks. 

This public discussion will examine the long-term costs and consequences of unequal enforcement of marijuana prohibition in Westchester, solutions to address the harms caused to communities, and efforts to legalize marijuana in New York State while creating a diverse and inclusive industry.

Sponsored by: Drug Policy Alliance, WESPAC Foundation, Westchester Coalition for Police Reform, NYCLU, VOCAL-NY, and more

RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2128989074044735/

Posted on by Nada Khader Posted in Blogs, Communities & Focus Areas, Director's Blog, Economic and Human Rights, Frontpage, Movement Building, Racial Justice

Is Westchester Ready for Police Accountability?

Saturday, June 30th at 5pm (refreshments starting at 4:30pm)
The Rev. Shelton Doles Community Center Theater
250 South Sixth Avenue
Mount Vernon, NY 10550

Join Bridge to Africa 360, African Family Unity Forum and the Westchester Coalition for Police Reform for a community conversation about the value of civilian oversight of law enforcement as well as an update on the status of the Mount Vernon Civilian Review Board and the Right to Know Act that is gaining momentum around New York State.

Panelists include:

  • Mount Vernon City Council member Delia Farquharson
  • Mount Vernon Police Commissioner Shawn Harris (invited)
  • Panel moderator is Mount Vernon CCRB Steering Cte member Geoff Munroe

This event is free and open to the public and is co-sponsored by the Mount Vernon Recreation Department.

Posted on by Nada Khader Posted in Blogs, Communities & Focus Areas, Director's Blog, Frontpage, Movement Building

At this year’s Summer Solstice, Nathalie “BioDame” Reynoso will lead us in ceremony as we open the space to check in on our milestones. How have our baby-steps added up? What have we mulled over? We’ll press pause and resume for health, happiness, equilibrium, and equity’s sake.

Join us for a healing evening at “Honoring the Summer Solstice through Intercultural Community Ceremony.” The space will facilitate us in honoring our paths and realigning ourselves with what is and is not serving us during this time in which we have the most daylight

..so if you can, allow yourself this time to simply be and charge yourself up with that Community Solstice Sun 
(. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)

•Mantra and Manifest Actualization•

•Sun Shrine•

•Mindful Movement•

•Group Meditation•

Free and Open to the Public

Tuesday June 19, 2018  Led by Local Ceremonialist

6:30pm  Nathalie “BioDame” Reynoso

WESPAC Foundation  of the Westchester-based

77 Tarrytown Rd,  Suite 2W grassroots organization

White Plains, NY 10607  Ceremony Cerebellum

On-site Parking Available  cer[email protected]

*Bring items you’d like to add to the shrine  ~ love ~

Posted on by Nada Khader Posted in Frontpage

Join us at WESPAC, our local social justice center, for some fun art classes!
With experienced art teacher Gayle Dunkelberger
June 5th and June 12th
Appropriate for ages 10 and up


When: 4 PM to 5:30 PM
How much: $20 per class
(All funds to support WESPAC)
Scholarship funds available
To register email [email protected]

Posted on by Nada Khader Posted in Blogs, Director's Blog, Frontpage

Posted on by Nada Khader Posted in Blogs, Communities & Focus Areas, Criminal Justice, Director's Blog, Frontpage, Racial Justice

Posted on by 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

Posted on by 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.  

Posted on by Nada Khader Posted in Blogs, Director's Blog, Frontpage, Movement Building

Posted on by 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