Community Events / Newsletter June 16 – 23

From CNY Solidarity Coalition:

Next Meeting: Sunday June 28, 3-4 PM. Zoom link will be sent.

CNY Solidarity Coalition is supporting the current protests against police brutality, which are continuing for 40 days. The Coordinating Committee may authorize the use of all donations from our website during this period to support the protesters. Please consider donating. Or see links below to donate directly – either way works. We are providing food, water and supplies. If you can shop, deliver, or help coordinate this, email: coordcommcnysolidarity@lists.riseup.net

The following list of demands (condensed here) was developed by local protest groups. CNY Solidarity Coalition, along with 14 other groups, has endorsed the list.

Peoples’ Agenda For Policing

Revision of the SPD use of force policy
Revision of body-worn camera policy
1. cameras on at the beginning of shifts.
2. footage released under open-records law; not highly redacted.
3. Prohibit officers from reviewing body camera footage when writing reports.
Publicize union contract as is. Engage in a community-driven and -centered renegotiating process to include recommendations for discipline by the Citizen Review Board
Give the CRB power to enforce recommendations after sustained findings,
Demilitarize SPD and use the Ferguson Report as a guide and minimum standard.
Redirect resources away from SPD to reinvest in human and other services
Public oversight of surveillance technologies; ban on biometric, facial-recognition
Remove SRO’s from schools; invest in counselors and other supportive staff.
Pass Right to Know Act:
1. require officers to tell people their privacy rights during police encounters
2. provide those stopped by police a notice of why they were stopped.

We have lost a friend: Linda DeStefano was killed in a car accident last week. Linda was a leader, a source of inspiration, a beacon of moral clarity, for many of us, over the last 40+ years. Obituary

Articles of the week:

We are reprinting this one in full because it beautifully addresses a critical question.

‘Today, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez opened up her Instagram story to answer people’s questions, and this one felt profound to me:

Q: “What does an America with defunded police look like to you?”

Her answer:

“The good news is that it actually doesn’t take a ton of imagination. It looks like a suburb.

Affluent white communities already live in a world where they choose to fund youth, health, housing, etc. more than they fund police. These communities have lower crime rates not because they have more police, but because they have more resources to support healthy society in a way that reduces crime.

When a teenager or preteen does something harmful in a suburb (I say teen because this is often where lifelong carceral cycles begin for Black and Brown communities), White communities bend over backwards to find alternatives to incarceration for their loved ones to “protect their future,” like community service or rehab or restorative measures. Why don’t we treat Black and Brown people the same way? Why doesn’t the criminal system care about Black teens’ futures? Why doesn’t the news use Black people’s graduation or family photos in stories the way they do when they cover White people (eg. Brock Turner) who commit harmful crimes? Affluent White suburbs also design their own lives so that they walk through the world without having much interruption or interaction with police at all, aside from community events and speeding tickets (and many of these communities try to reduce those, too!)

Just starting THERE would be a dramatically and radically different world than what we are experiencing now.”

US supreme court rules employers cannot discriminate against LGBTQ+ workers The Guardian

Critical Reminders:

VOTE!!!All registered Democrats in Onondaga County should have received an Application for Absentee Ballot for the June 23 primary. http://www.ongov.net/elections/absentee.html

Today is the deadline to request to vote via absentee ballot!Submit your absentee ballot request by mail, email, phone by Tuesday, June 16th. Mail requests must be postmarked June 16th.

EVENTS/ACTIONS CALENDAR

Every Day: Protest March

Generally start at 2 PM, meeting at ITC (Old Central Tech) at 1:30. CheckFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/cuseyouthblm/OR

https://www.facebook.com/lastchanceforchange/

Social Justice Tuesday! Today!Noon in front of May Memorial church.

Bring signs, wear your mask. Standing in solidarity of the Black Lives Matter protests across the country.

Online Training: Critical First Aid in the Streets

June 16 – 6 PM – 9 PM

Hosted by Mayday Space and NYC Action MedicalTomorrow at

Join NYC Action Medical and Mayday Spacefor a free online training about providing first aid in protest situations. We will be offering live captioning, and participants will receive a follow-up email with resources. This training does not require any previous medical knowledge.

Topics like protesting during COVID, scene safety, activating EMS, hot weather ailments, bleeding control, spinal injuries, chemical weapons, and more.

Climate, Capitalism and Solutions

June 16 6 – PM – 7:30 PM

Sane Energy Project and 4 others

Join our excellent panel of expert speakers for a deep dive discussion on the fight against fracked gas infrastructure in NY. Please RSVP here for login information

Virtual public hearing on interactions between police and the public

Wednesday, June 17th, at 11AM

Attorney General Letitia James will be holding a virtual public hearing on interactions between police and the public during the protests that have taken place since the killing of George Floyd. To watch the hearing live, please visit: ag.ny.gov/livestream.To submit written testimony and/or to participate in the hearing, please visit: ag.ny.gov/hearing.

Matters that Matter: A Conversation Series from Hendricks Chapel

Wednesday June 17 at 7 PM – 8 PM

https://www.facebook.com/events/257429139008975/

Bea González, longtime leader at Syracuse University and in the greater Syracuse community, is our featured guest on Wednesday, June 17 at 7pm EST for “Matters that Matter: A Conversation Series from Hendricks Chapel” in conversation with Dean Brian Konkol. They will discuss González’s impact on the University and greater Syracuse communities ahead of her retirement on July 3 and the importance of being involved in one’s community.
About Bea González: González has more than 38 years of experience in higher education; 30 of which have been in continuing education. She also has a long and distinguished record of public service.

Defund the Police: A Virtual Teach-In

Wednesday, June 17, 7 PM – 8:30 PM

Hosted by Long Island Progressive CoalitionDefunding the police doesn’t mean chaos on the streets, as critics claim. In reality, it means gradually redistributing the hundreds of millions of dollars we spend on policing back into essential public services that have been gutted over the last few decades as police budgets ballooned. It means mental health professionals answering calls about mental health crises, and addiction experts answering calls about opioid abuse, instead of armed officers. It means tackling our social problems with tools that could help solve them rather than resorting to violence and criminalization, a system that was borne out of racism and has intentionally disrupted and devastated Black, Brown, Indigenous and poor communities since its inception centuries ago. Register here

CNY Bus Rapid Transit Alliance

Thursday June 18 at 12 PM – 1 PM

In this meetingwe will discuss funding strategies as well as ways to mobilize community support

Dana Balter’s “Let’s Win!” Virtual Rally

Thurs., June 18 7 PM · Online Event

You’re invited to one last virtual rally with Dana Balter before the June 23rd primary, featuring special guest Senator Rachel May. Join us as we celebrate the years of hard work of our supporters and volunteers and rally to cross next Tuesday’s finish line! RSVP at any level for the Zoom link:

Juneteenth, at Syracuse City Hall

Last Chance for Change; Redemption; Masking & Kompany; and Straight Independent Radio cordially invite you. Sponsored by Marrone Law Firm and Crystal City Creative Spaces, we will honor our past by installing art that will cover the streets in front of City Hall, as well as community painting lessons and public display.
Local and National talent will perform LIVE…sponsored and Hosted by #UnapologeticallyJoshfrom www.str8indieradio.com, featuring Syracuse native and international sensation “DJ Bella J”.

Free To Be – A Juneteenth Celebration

Friday 6/19 at 1 PM

Live Video by Cafe Sankofa Cooperative and Liberty Resources

Join us in collaboration with the Sankofa Wellness & Resource Liberty Resources for a virtual JUNETEETH event honoring Black Liberation! We will have guest speakers, spoken word and more!

We Can’t Breathe March for Justice

National Action Network Peaceful Protest March Against Police Brutality

Saturday, June 20, 2020 10 AM

Tucker Missionary Baptist Church, 515 Oakwood Ave.

Bring Signs! Wear a Mask! Wear all Black!

Poor People’s Campaign digital mass assembly

Will be aired at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, June 20, and at 6 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, June 21. It can be viewed at june2020.org, and MSNBC will livestream the entire event, as will other local and national media.

Poor and low-income people of every race, creed, color and sexuality from more than 40 states will demand change as they share stories of struggling through poverty and protests for racial justiceat a historic digital assembly and march sponsored by The Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival.

Skaneateles Pride Live 2020

Sat., June 20 1 PM · Online Event

Get ready to be a part of history with the town’s inaugural Pride celebration online! More details to follow.

Pride March for Black Lives Matter

Saturday June 20 1PM Syracuse, NY

hosted by CNY Pride and Black Cuse Pride

Addressing Anti-Blackness on Campus: Free Webinar:

June 24, 2020 (2pm)
Implications for Educators and Institutions. Register here: https://bit.ly/3fk3KHz

In this webinar, the presenters will address tangible strategies for addressing anti-Blackness in schools, colleges, and universities. Center for Organizational Responsibility and Advancement – CORA

Street Heat – Weekly Protests are back with Physical Distancing!

HANCOCK: our decade-long protests against Hancock’s piloting killer reaper drones over the Islamic oil lands are resuming. 6000 East Molloy Rd every Tuesday from 4:15 to 5 p.m.

DEWITT: Weekly protest against IDF terrorism, maiming and killing of Palestinians. Fridays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. at Erie Blvd E and E Genesee, Dewitt. Park in the nearby mini-mall parking lot.

REGIONAL FARMERS MARKET: anti-weaponized drones/anti-militarism protest: 9 to 9:45 a.m Saturdays . directly across from the market’s main entrance on Park Street.

HOW TO HELP: Volunteer or Donate

Local Protest Groups, Donation Links:

CuseYouthBLM

Last Chance for Change

Black Lives Matter Syracuse

OG’s Against Gun Violence

National Groups: Here’s Where You Can Donate to HelpProtests Against Police Brutality. Links to Bail funds, legal aid, and other organizations working to help activists seeking justice for George Floyd and other victims of police violence

For example, ActBlue: Split a donation between 39 community bail funds

Syracuse Immigrant and Refugee Defense Network(SIRDN): fund to

support undocumented workers and families. DONATE HERE

Syracuse Immigrant and Refugee Defense Network https://www.facebook.com/SyracuseIRDN/

Political/Electoral Actions, Donations

Ready to Flip the Senate this Year? Indivisible’s Payback Projectisout to do just that! This would be a great place to put your stimulus check to work!

Dana Balter for Congress: We need a progressive voice representing us in Congress, instead of someone who endorses Donald Trump for President! https://electdanabalter.com/

FINDING HELP/RESOURCES

Also see COVID19 InfoBelow

SIRDN Covid19 Warm Line: (315) 552-1670

Syracuse Immigrant and Refugee Defense Network(SIRDN) Coronavirus-related information for farmworker, immigrant, undocumented, day laborer, and domestic worker communities. English and Spanish-speaking operators. Text and phone.

SIRDN has also created a resource document for COVID-19 information, for immigrants and undocumentedfolks. English and Spanish Or use these instructions to have Google translate .

COVID-19 INFORMATION:

If you do not have a doctor and have questions, symptoms, or may have been exposed to COVID-19, call Upstate University Hospital’s Triage Line at 315.464.397

Assistance connecting with health and human services: call 211 or visit211cny.com

Onondaga County Coronaviris Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Information Page

COVID-19 Testing Hotline:

Upstate University Hospital Regional Triage (COVID-19) Information Page

NYS Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Page

Johns Hopkins – Coronavirus Disease 2019 vs. the Flu

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) webpage.

New York Attorney General Coronavirus Resources and Warnings

FCC Consumer Warnings and Safety Tips

FTC Coronavirus Scam Information

NYS Free Mental Health Hotline: 1-844-863-9314

Onondaga County Meals Help Line for Onondaga County: 315-218-1987