Racial Justice :

WESPAC Foundation supports the work of the Anti-Racist Alliance which is the lead group in Westchester that explores the ongoing harm of institutionalized and systemic racism in our country today. We have honest discussions in a mixed group of how white privilege impacts both people of color and white folk in Westchester County in the form of excessive police force, access to quality education, employment and housing and many other areas. We listen to the range of experience that people of color have to endure in a society that continues to disproportionately benefit white people . For more information, visit antiracistalliance.com

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

Good morning, all!

 
WESPAC has partnered with CURE for this important book reading of CASTE this Spring.  All details below:

———- Forwarded message ———
From: Nicole Alifante <[email protected]>
 
Your organization has partnered with us and five libraries (Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Rye) for our virtual visit by Isabel Wilkerson, pulitzer prize winning author of CASTE, on April 25th. 
In addition to Ms. Wilkereson’s virtual visit we will have four facilitated zoom conversations about CASTE. 
 
Partnering entails ANY of these Actions: 
  • READ the book with some of your organization’s members
  • AMPLIFY our event through your networks
  • REGISTER for the event on April 25th with Ms. WIlkerson (Ms. Wilkerson will ONLY be at the 4/25 event) 
  • JOIN us for any of the four discussions on 4/8, 4/17, 4/28 and 5/3. (same registration link as above) 
 
We want to let our county neighbors know that dissecting the social construct of race and caste in America is an urgent conversation that we should all make space for together. Feel free to contact me with any questions. 
 
Warmest Regards, 
 
Nicole Alifante 
 
— Nicole Alifante 
Founder/President, CURE, Inc.
917-312-9930

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

Please register here for Sunday, February 21st at 3pm: https://horowitzresearch.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pwXYHl_KRTiW39sWPJkzYg

 

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, Director's Blog, Frontpage, Racial Justice, Speakers Bureau

GARE Presenters

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

https://youtu.be/Cm0DIKWZwtQ

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

On December 15, we will launch the Justice Roadmap 2021 to call for bold legislative change to decarcerate jails, prisons and immigrant detention centers and address the harms of the criminal legal and immigration systems. 

Join us to demand that New York dismantle systems that criminalize, incarcerate and deport our communities and build a world where all of us can thrive

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

**MEDIA ADVISORY**

Contact: 

Katie Schaffer, [email protected]communityalternatives.org, 646-265-2044

Nada Khader, [email protected]gmail.com, 914-449-6514

Vanessa Agudelo, [email protected]nyic.org, 914-482-1241

Luke Grandis, [email protected], 917-702-8781

CLAIMING URGENCY AND A PROGRESSIVE MANDATE FOLLOWING THE ELECTION, NEW COALITION LAUNCHES DEMANDING DECARCERATION

RALLIES WILL TAKE PLACE OUTSIDE OF A JAIL, PRISON, IMMIGRANT DETENTION CENTER & THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION AS NEW COALITION CALLS FOR ACTION

WHEN: December 9th at 11am

WHERE:

WHAT: Rallies outside of a county jail, state prison, immigrant detention facility and the Governor’s mansion announcing the launch of a new coalition: Decarcerate the Hudson Valley. The new coalition will be building power throughout the Hudson Valley to demand action by local and state elected officials to address the crisis of mass incarceration. Following the November elections, advocates and impacted people urge state legislature to act on a progressive mandate.

WHO: Formerly incarcerated Hudson Valley residents, families with incarcerated loved ones and advocacy organizations in the Hudson Valley including: Alternatives to Incarceration Coalition Westchester, Beacon Prison Action, Beacon4BlackLives, Black Lives Matter Hudson Valley, Call BlackLine, Center for Community Alternatives, Community Voices Heard, Dutchess County Progressive Action Alliance, End the New Jim Crow Action Network – Poughkeepsie, Equitable Future, Inc., I Am Citizen, Irvington Activists, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, LIFE Progressive Services Group Inc, Newburgh LGBTQ Center, New York Immigration Coalition, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, Mid Hudson Valley Democratic Socialists of America, NYCLU Hudson Valley Chapter, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, Release Aging People in Prison – RAPP, Showing Up For Racial Justice Westchester Chapter, VOCAL-NY, WESPAC Foundation, Inc., Westchester Coalition for Police Reform (WCPR), Westchester for Change, Yonkers Sanctuary Movement.

BACKGROUND:

  • While we have seen real decarceral success in the Hudson Valley since 2019 – with a 36% reduction in the number of people jailed pretrial – mass incarceration continues to be a crisis. 

  • Each day, there are over 13,000 Hudson Valley residents languishing in county jails and state prisons. (In October 2020, there were 2,200 people incarcerated in county jails each day and 11,152 incarcerated in state prisons.)

  • In addition, there are over 4,000 people subject to parole supervision in their Hudson Valley communities.

  • There continue to be stark racial disparities. 

  • Local and county governments in the Hudson spend over $856 million each year on the carceral system. This includes nearly $406 million on jails alone.

 

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

Thank you SO much to all who have already given to sustain WESPAC!  In order to meet our budgetary targets, we must raise between $8,000 and $10,000 at this holiday time.  A contribution in any amount will help sustain us during these challenging times.  You can make a secure donation in less than a minute with any credit or debit card using this link here

 
With our deep appreciation in advance,
 
Nada

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

ARA Board Diversity Speakers

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

September 10 – October 1, 2020

At this pivotal moment in our nation’s history, advocates, policymakers, law enforcement, and community leaders around the country have raised concerns about policing and public safety.
 
People want change. They want America to be better. That call for change is unmistakable, but the path forward remains unclear. It’s time to reimagine 21st century public safety and redefine the role of police in creating safe communities, together.
 
This September, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice are partnering to convene a series of six livestream conversations to reimagine the future of public safety and redefine the role of policing in America today.
 
These sessions will culminate in the release of a public report that will include substantive and innovative conclusions for communities to consider as they reimagine the future of public safety. The report will serve as a roadmap for local communities to follow as they work toward committing to policing practices that ensure equal justice for everyone. We must collaborate and create a blueprint for the future of public safety—and what that means for policing—together. (See press release.)
 

RSVP today to receive reminders ahead of each conversation! 
Each event will be streamed live on our Facebook and YouTube pages.